My flowers name is the Gay Feather. Some people think that GAY means something different, but to me it means happy. My flowers Scientific Classification is Asteraceae.  The Gay Feather grows every where but the western area, the scientific name is the liatris pycnostachya. My flower is bright purple with spikes. The blooming period is Augest -December. The height of my flower is 2 to 4 feet.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/photoalbum.html