Dutchman’s Pipe Vine (Aristolochia macrophylla)

If you are looking for a striking plant, try a Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla). The plant is a woody vine that produces flowers shaped like curved pipes and large heart-shaped leaves. The flowers attract pollinating flies with an odor like rotting meat. Learn how to grow Dutchman’s pipe for a unique plant that will get talked about in your garden.

I. Appearance and Characteristics 

Aristolochia macrophylla, Dutchman’s pipe or pipevine, is a perennial vine native to the eastern United States. A. macrophylla belongs to the plant family Aristolochiaceae and is found primarily along the Cumberland Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains in the eastern portion of the United States, as well as Ontario, Canada. This species of plant has received considerable attention in the past few decades for the discovery of a potent compound called aristolochic acid, which has been the focus of debate due its harmful side effects.

This vine is a flowering plant that can grow up to 9 meters (30 ft) at a relatively fast rate. In the early stages of its development, the vines of A. macrophylla are very stiff and rigid, but as the plant develops, the vines become much more flexible and stable. This is because the plant is composed of sclerenchymatous cortical tissue, which has an outer cylinder, or layer, as well as an inner cylinder. Years of research showed that it is the outer sclerenchymatous cylinder that gives the stems of this plant its mechanical stability.

This species flowers between the months of June and August in the U.S. with its seeds ripening in September and October. The large heart-shaped leaves can range between 15–30 cm (6–12 in). These dark green leaves can overlap and cover an arbor or trellis. Plants can also be used to provide extensive covers for pillars, sun porches, fences, walls as well as other things.

The reason why A. macrophylla is often referred to as “Dutchman’s pipe” is because of the 5 cm (2 in) yellowish-green flowers they produce. Each flower also sprouts from the calyx mouth to further produce 3 brownish-purple lobes. It is this complex of the flowers and lobes that gives the species a close resemblance to Dutch smoking pipes. The flowers may be hidden by the thick vegetation of the pipevine.

The flowers start to open up in May and June in the U.S. and the fragrant flowers attract small flies and gnats. Once an insect has arrived at the flower, the insect is trapped inside a tube, which forces the insect to carry out pollination. Once pollination has been completed and time has passed since pollination, a fruit resembling a cucumber, between 6–10 cm in height, and 3 cm in diameter is produced. The fruit then ripens, usually around September in the U.S., turns brown and splits into six fragments to disperse its small, triangular seeds.

1. macrophylla is native to the southeast of the United States, however it is also found in the northeast, as well as Ontario, Canada. This plant species resides largely in the Cumberland and Blue Ridge Mountains of southeastern United States. They are native to wooded slopes, gaps, as well as ravines which are mainly in the Cumberland and Blue Ridge Mountains from West Virginia, to Kentucky, Tennessee and northern Georgia. Pipevine eventually spread to other parts of the eastern coast of the United States. A. macrophylla is naturally found in light sandy soil, medium loamy soil and heavy clay soils, with a preference for drained soils. This species is also primarily found in alkaline soils with high pH. A. macrophylla has a strong preference for moist soils, while being intolerant to dry soils.

II. How to Grow and Care

When it comes to low-care plants that make a big impact, pipe vine gets a winning score. The easy-to-grow plant requires but a few care mainstays (such as enough sunlight and well-draining soil) but is otherwise easy to grow and pays off with vibrant green foliage and full vines that grow rapidly.

Sunlight

Plant your pipe vine in full sun to achieve the best growth and flowering potential. However, it can also handle partial-to-full shade (especially if planted in a warmer climate), though it will likely bloom significantly less, and its foliage may appear to be less vibrant. Overall, aim to grant your plant at least six to eight hours of full to partial sunlight daily.

Temperature and Humidity

Pipe vine prefers moderate temperatures year-round and is not frost hardy. If you do suspect that temperatures will be dropping, it’s wise to add a layer of mulch around the roots of the plant to help insulate them against cold weather.

Watering

For the most successful vine, keep the ground evenly moist during the plant’s growing season. When watering, aim your hose at the base of the plant—watering the dense foliage too directly can lead to fungal issues.

Soil

Pipe vines prefer soil with good drainage above all, though they will perform best if their soil is also rich and moist. The pH level of the soil isn’t important to pipe vines, and they can thrive in both neutral and acidic mixtures.

Fertilizing

You should fertilize your pipe vine yearly each spring and work compost into the soil whenever you feel like the vine needs a bit of a boost.

Planting Instructions

Prepare a wide hole and loosen the soil with a fork. Plant your Dutchman’s Pipe at the correct depth – the top of the root ball should come to just below soil level. Fill up with soil, heel well in and water immediately.

Dutchman’s Pipe is pretty undemanding and will thrive in most normal soils. If planting right next to the wall, do understand that the soil there is usually the poorest so a little improvement with some well-rotted manure will be appreciated. Allowing your Dutchman’s Pipe to climb Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) will not attach itself to start with and the shoots will go all over the place. 

A fast grower, it is perfect for covering an ugly fence or wall but Dutchman’s Pipe will also grace a pergola, or even a suitable tree.

Best is, tie it up on its own to a sturdy climbing frame, pergola or wall.

Pruning

If you wish to maintain a tidy display, you may have to prune a mature pipe vine with some regularity. Pruning is best done in late winter or early spring. Be vigorous—the vine responds well to pruning, so don’t be afraid to trim it.

As long as you cut off no more than one-fourth of the plant at any one time, you should be all right. Another general pruning rule, with trees, shrubs, and perennial vines, is to prune off no more than one-third of a plant’s growth in the course of the entire year. To prune pipe vine, look for the weakest branches and any branches that seem to be getting out of hand, and prune those off.

Propagation

Cuttings

The pipe vine plant can easily be propagated by seed or cuttings. The easiest and quickest way is by growing from cuttings. Here’s how:

• Using gardening shears and wearing garden gloves, take a cutting during the springtime, as this is when the plant is growing best and putting out new shoots. The cutting should have at least three to four leaves on it.
• Put the cutting in water—a glass works well.
• When a nice clump of roots appears, plant the cutting in the proper location in well-drained soil, and water.

Seed

This vine can be grown from seeds. Let the seed pods dry on the vine and turn brown before taking them off. Sow the seeds and let them dry on seed trays to be ready for planting in the spring. You can also sow them and throw the seeds in hot water to soak for up to two days. If any float, discard them as they are not viable seeds. Then place the seeds in prepared pots with seed starting soil allocating two seeds per pot and water. Keep the soil moist, and the seedlings should start appearing in approximately a month.

Overwintering

This climbing vine will shed its leaves in the winter in the cooler zones. You can protect the root base from frost by putting mulch around it. The leaves of the plant will grow back out in the springtime.

Pests and Diseases

Pipe vines don’t have any major pest or disease issues. Avoid watering the foliage directly to eschew fungal issues, and be aware that the plant serves as larval food for the pipe vine swallowtail butterfly’s caterpillar. You can expect to notice some signs of feeding, but it will never damage the vine to the point of death.

III. Uses and Benefits 

Due to the size of the plant, consider growing the dutchman’s pipe Aristolochia outdoors. It also needs something to hold onto.

Plant near a trellis, fence, or other outdoor structure. To grow along a wall, use steel wire to support the plant.

Some homeowners use these plants to cover old, dead trees.

Plant Dutchman’s pipe around a dead tree, allowing the climbing vine to grow around the trunk and the lifeless branches.

If you decide to plant the Dutchman’s pipe, give it plenty of space – both above and below ground. It needs space to grow its vines and leaves.

It also needs room to support its big root structure.