White Veined Hardy Dutchman's Pipe Aristolochia fimbriata

White Veined Hardy Dutchman's Pipe is a perennial vine groundcover. The plant is a native of Bolivia, Brazil, and North-East Argentina. The genus name, Aristolochia, is the combination of two words. The Greek word, aristos, translated means "best." The Greek word, locheia, translated means "childbirth." This references the flower's structure resembling a human fetus. The species name, fimbriata, is Latin and means "fringed." The common name, Dutchman's Pipe, references the shape of the flowers that resemble the Meerschaum smoking pipes once used in Europe.

This deciduous groundcover grows 6-12 inches in height, and the mound spreads about 2-3 feet with tuberous roots. The delicate foliage is heart-shaped and green with showy silver veining. Small fragrant speckled flowers resemble a trumpet-shaped clay pipe with a fringe of thread-like hairs at the opening giving a great show through the summer This prostrate mounding vine has green, wiry stems. 

The vine prefers morning sun and afternoon shade. It will tolerate full shade and can tolerate full sun with adequate watering. Rich or sandy well-drained soil is preferred. It propagates by self-sowing of seeds from the previous season.  It is dormant in winter so think about placement as it will leave a bare spot in the landscape.  While it is hardy down to zone 7 in cold climates it can be grown as an annual.

The pipevine swallowtail butterfly uses the plant as a food source.  Their caterpillars will strip the above-ground growth of the plant in mid-summer and the adult butterflies will return to lay more eggs.  When the new caterpillars emerge in the spring they feast on the tuberous roots.  The pipevine swallowtail butterfly is immune to the poison in this particular species that can cause problems for humans.  If swallowtail larval browsing is too heavy consider planting one of the larger pipevines.  

It is drought and deer resistant and works well in shady spots that could use a bright pop of color with its silvery leaves.  The trailing form looks beautiful hanging from hanging baskets or cascading over a garden wall.