Double Play Candy Corn was bred by Dr. Tom Ranney at North Carolina State University, and the cultivar name captures exactly what it delivers: a rotating color show across three seasons in a footprint no larger than 2 feet across. New foliage emerges apple red in spring, transitions to pineapple yellow, and the dark purple flower clusters add a third tone to the mix before summer sets in. By fall, the foliage moves back through orange and red, rounding out the display with warmth before dormancy.

The plant performs best in full sun where the foliage colors stay richest, tolerating light shade without losing its character entirely. It requires no pruning to maintain its rounded shape, which makes it genuinely low maintenance. Deer and rabbits generally leave it alone, and it establishes well in average garden soil with decent drainage. Resist the urge to cut it back early in the season, since new growth carries the flowers and removing it sacrifices the bloom entirely.