Achimenes grandiflora

Orchid Pansy, Japanese Pansy, Cupid's Bower, Large-flowered Achimenes, Hot Water Plant

Message of the Flower

Silence in the Vital

The Mother’s Comment

A powerful help for inner peace

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

The one thing that is most needed for this sadhana is peace, calm, especially in the vital—a peace which depends not on circumstances or surroundings but on the inner relation with a higher consciousness which is the consciousness of the Divine, of the Mother.

Sri Aurobindo, The Mother with Letters on The Mother: Inner Contact with the Mother

If you get peace, then to clean the vital becomes easy. If you simply clean and clean and do nothing else, you go very slowly—for the vital gets dirty again and has to be cleaned a hundred times. The peace is something that is clean in itself—so to get it is a positive way of securing your object. To look for dirt only and clean is the negative way.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga - II: Peace

Colour

Light violet to red violet

Family

Gesneriaceae

Cultivars

There are several cultivars with various flower colors and forms.

Flower Size

Flowers can be quite large for the plant size, often 2-3 inches across.

Flower Texture

Soft and velvety

Number of Petals

Five

Floral Symmetry

Bilateral symmetry

Fragrance of Flower

Some cultivars may have a mild fragrance.

Leaf Texture

Soft, often hairy

Leaf Arrangement

Opposite

Leaf Color

Green, sometimes with purplish undersides

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous perennial

Life Cycle

Perennial in tropics; often grown as an annual in temperate zones

Blooming Period

Summer to fall

Climate

Prefers warm, humid climates; not frost-hardy

Water Requirements

Consistent moisture but well-drained soil to avoid root rot

Soil Type

Rich, well-draining potting mix

Temperature Ranges

Does best in temperatures between 60F and 80F (15C to 27C)

Sun or Shade

Prefers bright, indirect light or partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to spider mites, aphids, and fungal diseases in poor ventilation or overcrowding.

Pollinators

Attracted to bees and hummingbirds

Habitat

Native to Central and South America; grown in gardens and as houseplants elsewhere

Role in the Ecosystem

As a garden plant, it provides nectar for pollinators.

Ornamental

Widely grown for its showy flowers and attractive foliage.

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Mainly decorative; used in indoor and outdoor gardening.

Endangered Status

Not considered endangered; widely cultivated.

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