I have no idea what I'm doing, which is why I came here. I suspect it indeed won't produce seedlings identical to it, and I'd like to know how to purify a line. This year there is only one other one blooming near it, and it is a standard black-eyed type coneflower with normal petals. No doubt that will contaminate pollination of the Lady Lee (my name for the tentacle petaled plant [after my wife] I'd otherwise call "Starfish Coneflower" or "Whirligig Coneflower" or perhaps "Whirligig Susan").
Does it "self-pollinate" within its own flowers, or am I to expect it only to cross only with the regular coneflower nearby? I'm assuming I need to let the seedheads dry, then store until planting in a tray next spring, set those out in the garden, and see if I can get at least two Lady Lee's. Then isolate them somehow from insects, and hand cross-pollinate?
Just guessing the process to get a pure strain, and assuming it would take years as I don't think I can get two generations bloomed out in one season.
Thanks for any advice.
