This is an unusual Aristolochia or Dutchman's pipe. Some of the members of this group are very unruly and try to take over the earth, but this one , fimbriata, is much smaller and less aggressive. I can vouch for the hardiness of this little beauty, too. I have grown them for years in pots that were too small, starved them for fertilizer, planted them in the ground and forgot to water in drought, you name it, but they have never failed me and they cling to life with a tenacity that is almost frightening. They grow easily from seed, but of the two I have in the ground, neither has reseeded in the 3 or 4 years I have had them there, so I am not expecting them to become a menace. I think they show off most effectively in a hanging basket because of their small size. Mine generally get no longer than 18-24 inches and may have several stems sprouting from the woody looking underground part.
They become dormant in winter in both pots and the ground, but spring back out as soon as it warms up. Of course the ones in the greenhouse sprout out first. I think I may have gotten my original seed from the American Horticultural Society's seed exchange.
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