Caroline, it is a perennial wildflower. They haven't been long lived for me either but I save seed and start them again. My original plant came from Laporte Ave Nursery in Colorado so if you don't like to start things yourself, they have a mail order catalogue you could try. I bought mine when I was in Colorado so I couldn't tell you how their plants do in the mail. The color is so intense and they are so pretty I think it's worth the extra effort.