Giant Dutchman’s Pipe

Aristolochia gigantea Mart. & Zucc. with comments on additional species

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Aristolochiaceae

Explanation of name: According to FER, Aristolochia is from Greek aristos, best, and lochia, delivery, in reference to childbirth, presumably because the bent flower suggests a fetus. According to the ancient Doctrine of Signatures, the resemblance of plants to body parts indicates benefits to those parts. Gigantea is self-explanatory.

Natural range: Brazil

Identification: Multiple species of Aristolochia are in cultivation. They are all vines with more or less heart-shaped or kidney-shaped leaves and with large flowers of bizarre construction dominated by the calyx tube with varied mottling of green, yellow-green, red-purple, and white, the coloration  usually resembling carrion.  The blossoms have a hollow chamber with a tube leading from it. The tube opens to a broad conspicuous flag. The flowers tend to smell like rotting flesh. Species in cultivation, with some confusion in common names, include (data largely from BA2):

Non-native species:

Calico-Flower (Aristolochia littoralis Parodi) (Synonym: Aristolochia elegans M. T. Mast) from Brazil: with leaves to 3” long having rounded tips; flowers to 1.5” long, the flag (limb) 3” across, notched at the base. Escaped from cultivation (WU1) and listed as a Category II Invasive Exotic by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council.

Giant Dutchman’s Pipe: (A. gigantea Mart. & Zucc.) from Brazil: leaves with pointy tips (vs. A. littoralis) flowers 3” long, the flag very large (14” X 20”) and notched at the base. Flowers spring-fall.  FS-PS.

Pelican-Flower (a name not necessarily confined to this species) (A. grandiflora Sw.) from the Caribbean Region: leaves to 10” long; the flag 6” across with a dangling tail. Escaped from cultivation (WU1).

Gaping Dutchman’s Pipe (A. ringens Vahl) from South America: Escaped from cultivation (WU1).

Note: WU1 lists additional species escaped from cultivation.

Native species: (3 species in Florida, WU1, with the one commercially available being:)

Wooly Dutchman’s Pipe (A. tomentosa Sims) from the Florida Panhandle and northward: recognized by small 3-lobed (vs. 1- or 2-lobed) flag and white fuzz on flowers, stems, and undersides of leaves.

Endangered species: Aristolochia pentandra Jacq. is indigenous to the southern tip of Florida.

Landscape uses (for this genus generalized): Rampant, fast-growing, climbing vines useful for their novel but fetid flowers and tolerance of shade.

Other: The large flowers are generally interpreted as resembling decaying flesh to a fly. Flies are trapped temporarily within the floral chamber where they effect pollination before release.