Question
I was in Ulster County, NY today and observed a plant about 4-5 ft. high with many deep purple/red blooms. the bloom is a sort of cone with many petals coming from it. The bloom is about 2 inches high but narrow and has a very strong herb-like smell reminding me of basil or a similiar herb. Can you help me?
Thanks, Jerry
PS My son is a landscaper and has never seen it before.

Answer
A few possibilities come to mind but what is stymiing me is the fragrance.  Can you obtain and e-mail a digital image to [email protected]?  No larger than a couple hundred kB, please; I am on dial-up.

If you are unable to obtain a photo, try to describe the leaves.  Also, is this an herbaceous plant or a shrub?