Purple flowers

This is another of the flowers at our condo building in Langosta. My book on Costa Rican plants tells me that this is a stachytarpheta jamaicensis, which is the most common of the two native species of stachytarphetas in Costa Rica. There are three non-native similar species also growing in the country.

This shrub is up to 1.5 meters (4 ft.) tall, which makes it well suited to grow as a colorful border around the sidewalk and parking area of our condo building (which is barely visible in the background of this photo.)