Antique Plant Identification

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a_weaver Berryville, AR Dec 22, 2007

I had a plant 40 years ago when I lived on the East Coast that I am trying to identify. It was an annual housepant that grew 7" - 9" tall. The plant had medium to dark purple flowers that were about 1" long and had a some what tubular shape.

The identifier for this plant though was what made it so neat. In the fall you would put the plant in a dark place to let it die. In the early spring, around February, you would go get the plant, dump the dirt onto a table top, paw through it and find these miniture brown cone shaped 'seeds' that were about 3/4" long and a 1/8" - 1/4" in diameter . There would be 3 - 5 of them. You would then plant them each in their own pot, water well, and bring back into the light.

My grandmother got me started on this plant. She is now gone and so is the plant. I moved away and everyone else forgot that it was in the basement!!!!

Post #4320103
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plantladylin (Zone 1) Dec 22, 2007

Sounds like a Gesneriad, Gloxinia go dormant but from the sounds of the tubular flower it might be a Kohleria: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=kohleria&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search

Or possibly Achimenes: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=achimenes&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=SearchB

Both go dormant and die back to come back a beautiful blooming plant again and again!

Post #4320178
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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Dec 23, 2007

Might even have been one of the Begonia family as they are grown for the foliage and the flowers were thought of as insignificant way back then, but these were tuberous and needed winter rest, good luck. WeeNel.

Post #4320750
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plantladylin (Zone 1) Dec 23, 2007

The Kohleria's & Achimenes are from rhizome/tubers too. The tubers stay under the soil and the plants sprout but there is a dormant period where the foliage completely dies back and the rhizome/tuber thing is just resting but soon new sprouts appear and the plant grows and blooms again.

Post #4320809
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