Jujujojo based on my experience I only find that going a little larger every one to two years just helps prevent the mulitiple layers of roots growing around each other. At the same time I go a little bigger with each repot only to help the plant look proportional to the pot. All the phals I have are not miniatures by any stretch but I have also found that if I keep the pot to small, when I get a spike the whole plant and pot want to tip over. Now my oldest Phal is the only one with such a big pot. The rest of the phals I have are in nothing bigger than a six inch wide pot. I completely agree with Brooke in every aspect of pot size to the plant. That's how I've always raised my phals and it seems to work. I've lost my fiar share of plants over the years and its been hard to see them die. But it's a game of win and loose. I honestly would have to say aside from providing the plants with what they need to grow and fertilizing it regularly. It will continue to grow at its own pace and with years to come it will show you what it's suppose to do as it matures.

I just so happen to be at my parents house today with my much better camera (used cell phone for the first picture) I will upload a few better shots later tonight. Please come back and check and see if you can help me identify this plant. I do really love it. It's quite beautiful but if it's invasive I don't want to move it to my yard.

Cordyline, Red Sensation would fit the bill exactly, but again, it is not hardy. It is, however, getting to be relatively inexpensive, so you might treat it as an annual. You could also put it in a pot, use it as a focal point, and then bring it inside for the winter. It really does give the impression of a purple yucca. There are several dwarf purple barberries: "Bagatelle", "Crimson Pygmy", and "Royal Burgundy" for three, that have a spiky form if you do not shear them. I know they are not technically perennials, but they sure do add alot to a mixed border. Eucomis, Sparkling Burgundy might fit the bill too, though it is technically a bulb.

Any Long flowering perennials, please? Posted by seymoria on Tue, Sep 3, 02 at 10:30 In your zone. (preferably USDA 7 & above) Thanks for naming some species. Amer Posted by: zephirine_lyon z7 to z8 LYON on Tue, Sep 3, 02 at 11:07 Longest bloomers in my own garden (zone 7) : - coreopsis verticillata Zagreb - penstemon varieties (Apple Blossom, Sour Grapes, Midnight, hardy when in dry position in winter, + protection) - geranium Russel Pritchard - Asters x Frikartii Mch and Wunder von Stäfa - Echinacea purpurea "Magnus" - Salvia micropylla varieties - Scabiosa "butterfly Blue" - gypsophila Bristol Fairy - Gaura "whirling Butterflies" - Knautia macedonica - Verbena Bonariensis (reseeds, not 100 % hardy) - Erodium pelargoniifolium (idem) And, to a minor degree - Phlox maculata "Natasha" - Lobelia varieties (Vedrariensis, Tania, Dark Crusader) I sure forget some... Zephirine Posted by: Virginia_W z3 WI on Tue, Sep 3, 02 at 11:08 Purple Coneflower, Double Heliopsis, Monarda, Malva "Zebrina", Ligularia "The Rocket", Hollyhocks, Kierengoshoma (Yellow Waxbells) Posted by: flower_fairy z6a MA on Tue, Sep 3, 02 at 18:31 Daylily Happy Returns. Posted by: paula_in_PA z6 PA on Tue, Sep 3, 02 at 19:16 Still new to gardening, but very pleased with my new Salvia "blue Hill" - all summer long blooming. Posted by: Rob333 zone 6B on Tue, Sep 3, 02 at 21:26 ...and I don't know if the other varieties/cultivars are, but Agastache cana, 'Heather Queen' has bloomed, literally, all summer. -Robin Posted by: katybird_PA z6 PA on Wed, Sep 4, 02 at 10:20 Nepeta 'walker's low', Centranthus ruber, Chrysanthemum 'Clara curtis', Campanula 'Kent belle', Verbena 'Homestead Purple.' Posted by: Anne_Marie_Alb 5 NY Albany on Wed, Sep 4, 02 at 21:45 I'll add: Coreopsis "early sunrise" Gaillardia Achillea Black-eyed susan Anne-Marie Zone 5 Posted by: steve_NJ z7A NJ on Wed, Sep 4, 02 at 22:22 Cuphea glutinosa and Spilanthes (stolonifera)? Both are zone 6 or 7 hardy, with mulch. Cuphea self sows as well. Posted by: ArborBluffGirl 5b on Thu, Sep 5, 02 at 16:35 dwarf white delphinium, russian blue sage, big blue liriope, coneflowers, shasta daisy and thrift all did well for me this year inspite of the drought. Posted by: donor12199 on Thu, Sep 5, 02 at 23:09 Heliopsis Summer sun Purple and white coneflower Butterfly bushes Phlox..red riding hood..I cut back after first bloom and it is in full bloom again now. Posted by: valeriePA z6 PA on Sat, Sep 7, 02 at 8:52 Campanula carpatica-blue and white clips sidalcea-checkerbloom fringed leaf bleeding hearts coreopsis malvas gallardia Posted by: Jofrom_PKs zone 5 on Sat, Sep 7, 02 at 21:17 Don't forget Hardy Hibiscus, Zone 5, flowers from the last week of July until the hard freeze..... Luxurient Bleeding Hearts, spring till frost Posted by: beth1958 5a Ontario on Mon, Sep 9, 02 at 14:13 Isn't Salvia an Annual?? Posted by: Taba z5b MO on Mon, Sep 9, 02 at 19:00 Beth, many salvias are perennials. A search on google for perennial salvia leads to lots of varieties. I love salvias but can't figure out why mine end up floppy and bowl-shaped instead of upright (even in full sun), so they're coming out this fall. Posted by: seymoria on Wed, Sep 25, 02 at 9:01 Thankyou very very much to all of you wonderful people for guidance. I am looking forward to a huge order. However, someone recently frightened me that perennials get poor year after year. I hope it applies to only a small number. Thanks. Amer Posted by: katybird_PA 6 PA on Wed, Sep 25, 02 at 11:00 All perennials are not the same. Some are short lived, some need frequent divisions to maintain there vigor, and others just want to be left alone and become more and more impressive each season. A lot of very long blooming perennials have the tendency to bloom themselves out and are short lived. These are the ones that seem to set a lot of seed in my garden and keep themselves going that way. Posted by: moonsaga z7/8 OR on Thu, Sep 26, 02 at 2:16 Long bloom..... Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' doesn't stop blooming all summer... however, I do hear this is a short lived perennial. --meagan ps...Regarding Salvias, there are a whole lot of different types. If you have a Salvia officianalis that gets floppy, bury all the floppy parts, let 'em root, divide. Or prune in spring.. they can take it. great year round plant here Posted by: John3560 z5 MI on Thu, Sep 26, 02 at 7:28 It frequently acts like a biennial but Hesperis matronalis is a great plant. It blooms forever in the early summer and if not always dependably perennial always sets plenty of seed. Posted by: ZENA_WP 7/WA on Thu, Sep 26, 02 at 19:07 Although they have their own forum, Clematis can be a long blooming perennial with several flushes of flowers. The same as dianthus. Lavatera (which is more of a shrub).....