Gardens & Collections

Aristolochia macrophylla, also known as Dutchman’s Pipe or Pipevine, is a climbing woody perennial vine native to most of the Eastern United States. This plant is called Dutchman’s Pipe because its inconspicuous flowers resemble Dutch smoking pipes. These fragrant flowers attract flies and gnats, and after pollination comes a fruit that resembles a cucumber. Being a deciduous plant, each spring it pushes out all new herbaceous growth. These heart-shaped or cordate leaves can reach a size of 6-12 inches wide – a key characteristic of this plant as its specific epithet ‘macrophylla’ means large leaf in Greek. As you peek within the leaves to admire the flower structures, something else you may be able to see under the leaves is the larvae of the Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly. The black and red larvae turn into a beautiful butterfly with iridescent blue forewings that feature orange spots. Pipevine plant can grow up to 30 feet tall, is low maintenance and is a great option for trellises.