Ringflower is a compact, monocarpic plant bearing purple, bell-shaped flowers in mid-summer. The plant dies after flowering, but has maintained itself by self-seeding for years. Always when I think it lost, I find a new plant. It is safest though to collect seed from it. It doesn't flower regularly every other year, so it seems the plants take longer than a year to grow into flowering size. It grows best in sun in well drained soil, but can tolerate partial shade.