Virginia Dutchmans pipe Aristolochia serpentaria
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Aristolochia convolvulacea
- Aristolochia hastata
- Aristolochia nashii
- Aristolochia serpentaria var. hastata
- Aristolochia serpentaria var.nashii
- Endodeca serpentaria
- Endodeca serpentaria var. hastata
- Phonetic Spelling
- a-ris-toh-LOH-kee-uh ser-pen-TAIR-ee-uh
- Description
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Aristolochia serpentaria is an herbaceous perennial groundcover in the Aristolochiaceae (Birthwort) family that works well in a woodland or shade garden. It may grow to 1 or 2 feet. The flowers resemble those of Woolly Pipevine (Aristolochia tomentosa) and Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla), although the flowers of Virginia Snakeroot are smaller in size and they are held much closer to the ground. Spreads by rhizomes.
Use this plant as a ground cover in a shady garden. It prefers well-drained moist humusy loam, clay loam or sandy loam soils in part shade to shade.
Habitat: Dry to mesic forests, perhaps more restricted to mesic situations over acidic substrate, ranging into drier situations over calcareous or mafic substrates
Seasons of Interest:
Blooms: Spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Capsule
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Aristolochia
- Species:
- serpentaria
- Family:
- Aristolochiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used by Native Americans for snake bites. Used in herbal medicine.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern USA
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by flesh flies, fungus gnats, and possibly carrion beetles searching out nectar. The caterpillars of a butterfly, the Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), feed on the foliage of Virginia snakeroot, although more than one plant is required to complete their development. Because the foliage and roots are toxic and unpleasant-tasting, mammalian herbivores do not feed on this plant. Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) larvae which appear in late spring and summer in the east and California. In the south and southwest regions it most commonly appears in late summer through fall. Adult Pipevine Swallowtail butterflies also feed solely off of flower nectar from other plants like azaleas, thistles, verbena, lupines, and lilacs.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer damage, shade, wet soil, dry soil, loamy soil, fire in landscape
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- This plant produces a 1/2-inch six-valved capsule that contains many seeds. Displays from June to July.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- 1/2-3/4 inch small hairy purple-brown flowers that bloom from May to June at the base of the plant on small scaly stalks. They are pitcher-shaped flowers that are found close to the ground, lying on the ground or under leaf litter.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate leaves are 2–5" long and ½–2" across. They are narrowly cordate, ovate-sagittate, or narrowly hastate with a pair of rounded basal lobes. Margins are entire.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Description:
- Green zig-zag stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Dry Soil
- Fire
- Heavy Shade
- Wet Soil
