Photo by Bio Trek
An interesting plant for the beautiful wildlife garden here in Northern California is the California Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia californica). This deciduous vine has heart-shaped leaves and its pipe-shaped flowers are purple-striped. These true vines can reach 60 feet high when climbing up trees. Aristolochia is most often found hanging around hard-wood, mixed evergreen, and riparian forests as well as chaparral. Although it prefers a little watering, this California native has become tolerant of a little drought.
Photo by La Pilitas Nursery
Dutchman’s Pipe has an interesting pollination technique. The nectar inside the flower has a foul smell that attracts flies and once inside the curled flower the flies can’t escape. Because this is trick is reminiscent of many plants’ lure in order to feed off of insects, it may seem like this is the end of the fly. Not exactly. The fly hangs around inside the Dutchman’s pipe and dines on some nectar. At the same time, pollen from a previously visited blossom is transferred and pollination begins. Once the flower’s stamen has fully matured, the flower opens up and the fly is set free. Of course, he now carries the pollen from the mature stamen with him.
Photo by Charles & Clint
The Dutchman’s pipe makes a wonderful native for the beautiful wildlife garden and is probably best known as the only host plant for the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor).
Photo by B_nicodemus
Which plants have interesting procreation practices in your beautiful wildlife garden?
Chris McLaughlin’ suburban farm and beautiful wildlife garden is located in northern California (zone 9). Check out her blog A Suburban Farmer
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Wow, it’s so unique and beautiful! I’ve always enjoyed Aristolochia elegans, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this species (I’m from the east coast so I don’t know much about plants of California). Very cool plant!
~Aubree Cherie
Aubree Cherie recently posted..Because Evil Looking Plants are Cool
I remember (as a child) searching for this vine in the forests of Virginia with my parents. We did finally find it. Now I live in Colorado, and have tried very unsuccessfully to grow it as an annual vine. I don’t know what I was thinking as we hardly have the climate to support it! I love everything about it tho. Thanks for the awesome post and bringing back childhood memories.
Kathleen recently posted..I finally found something
oh, that is so interesting about its pollination technique! Lucky fly for finding the Dutchmans’ Pipe instead of the carnivorous plant next door
Hoping to try this plant one day on a pergola that is in the works. Would love to see if we could attract that Pipevine swallowtail. Dutchman’s Pipe was apparently once very popular for shading porches in the days when there was no TV, air conditioning, and people were forced to sit on their front porch and interact with their neighbors
I have 2 of these vines i started from seed last summer. They are thriving and beautiful had a few blooms last summer. Do you know if i should be fertilizing it and if so when and what kind of fertilizer? Any advise you can give would be appreciated. I love this plant although no BF’s yet.