Wooly Pipevine Aristolochia tomentosa

The Wooly Dutchman's Pipe is a deciduous, woody, climbing, and twining vine. It is native to central and the southern United States. It is typically seen in moist woods, thickets, or along streams or riverbanks. It grows rapidly to 20-30 feet tall.  In forests, this plant may be seen in trees or other plants twining its way through the treetops.

The leaves are large, heart-shaped, and very dense. They have wooly hairs on the upper and lower surfaces, The flower's shape resembles the Meerschaum smoking pipes made in Europe. This would explain the common name, "Dutchman's Pipe." Their blooms appear in mid to late spring and are usually hidden by the foliage. The blooms are hairy, yellow, or yellowish-green with purplish-lobes. In the fall the plant produces a grayish-brown, cylinder-like capsule that contains many seeds.

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 refers to the flower's structure resembling a human fetus. The species name, tomentosa, is Latin and means "covered with densely matted wooly hairs." This refers to the wooly hairs on the leaf surfaces, blooms, and stems of the plant.  A very similar plant, Aristolochia macrophylla, is smooth or glabrous. The Wooly Dutchman's Pipe has other common names including Wooly Birthwort and Wooly Pipevine.

The vine is easily grown in moist, loamy, sandy soil. It does not tolerate dry soil and prefers full sun to partial shade. Pruning should be done during the winter months. The plant may be propagated by division, cuttings, or seeds.

The dense foliage would make them an ideal plant for an arbor or trellis.  The vine can be grown in vertical shapes to create a privacy screen on porches, fences, arbors, walls, pillars, or verandas. It may also be a good selection for a butterfly garden.

Reportedly, the flowers of this species emit an odor that attracts flies and gnats which aids pollination. It is also the larval host plant for the Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly.

Caution:  The plants of this genus contain a toxin known as aristolochic acid. Ingestion of any part of this plant may cause irreversible kidney failure. The Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly is immune to this poison in this particular species.  

Insect, Disease, and Other Plant Problems: No serious disease/insect problems