Definitely an Achimenes (probably a common variety known as 'Purple King'). It's hardy here, and one of my very favorite "weeds", great for weaving among other plants and providing bloom from late summer into fall.

Thanks bubba62 for the id. The Achimenes arrived as a tag-along with another plant and developed its handsome flower in a hurry. Yale

It will go dormant in the fall and come back to bloom again in the spring. Is it growing inside or outside the house? You should get it in it's own pot so you can let it go dormant when it starts to die back, cut it back when it's dried out and let it sit inside (unwatered all winter) until late spring and start watering it again and it should show new growth. Also you may be able to separate the root to have more plants in the spring before you begin to rewater. It's a rhyzone (sp? or something..I have a couple different colors and they look different for each plant). I have mine in hanging baskets.

Sorry if you already knew all this. I got my first one from a violet club member last year and just loved it, had never known about them before. I (internet)ordered some different colors this year and they bloom so much!

tish

Achimenes make scaly rhizomes that look like little white or yellow pine cones in the soil, after the rest of the plant has died away. They can be stored over winter in bags or left in the pot, which is what I do. Mine sprout very late in spring--like around mid to late May, even though they are grown in a greenhouse or inside. In Mexico their spring is their dry season so they sprout with the beginning of the late spring/early summer rains. They grow fast and flower from mid summer to late fall. There are dozens or hundreds of varieties in purple, red, pink, yellow, white, blue, orange. The oldest variety in cultivation, 'Ambrose Verschaffelt' is also one of the most beautiful with purple veins over a white background. Their rhizomes multiply rapidly but most are produced at the end of the season while they are dying down. Don't let them dry out when they are active or they may die down and go dormant. Lots of beautiful new cultivars are being developed by gesneriad hobbiests in Europe right now.

Jon

Thanks for all the information lilypad and jon d.The plant is growing inside and I will hope it survives here. By the way, jon d, I believe that you sent me a fine group of Kalanchoe some years ago (I still favor them, and have plenty to spare) Yale