| Login Register (Free!) |
|
|
||
|
|
|||
This neat little vine deserves more attention. Calico flower is a tender evergreen vine with very unusual flowers and beautiful bright green heart shaped leaves. These are about 3 in (7.6 cm) long by 2 in (5 cm) wide and grow closely together to create a dense mass of foliage. Slender woody stems twine gracefully in tight coils around fence wire and other supports lifting itself to heights of 10-15 ft (3-4.6 m). In summer the vine produces quantities of 3 in (7.6 cm) flowers scattered among the drooping leaves. The greenish-white flowers have a s-curved tubular shape that is flared at the mouth that resembles a 19th century Dutch pipe (recall Sherlock Holme's pipe). Species of Aristolochia are generically called pipe vines or Dutchman's pipes for this reason. The inner portion surface of the mouth of the "pipe" is covered with a purplish-brown pattern that is reminiscent of calico fabric which inspire this species common name "calico flower". "Dutchman's pipe" is a name more commonly used for another species, A. durior, which is a hardier plant native to the southeast United States. This "real" Dutchman's pipe has a smaller bloom that is not as showy as calico flower but is a great vine to grow as well as all of the pipevines are important larval food sources for several species of butterflies.
Location
Culture
Because is has such luxuriously dense (and attractive!) foliage this vine makes a great screen. It is especially good at covering chainlink and other wire fences - I used it to screen a chicken coop from sight. It's also nice growing up a trellis on the patio or near an entry where the striking flowers can be seen at eye level by passersby. This rugged robust vine also does well in containers with regular watering.
Features It appears that this plant has been assigned a new name A. littoralis. Floridata will keep the more familiar old name A. elegans until our database has a better way of handling botanical synonyms such as these.
A. littoralis is classified as a Category II (an invasive exotic that has increased in abundance or frequency but has not yet altered Florida plant communities to the extent shown by Category I species) by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. Use caution with this plant in similar climates. The Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association (FNGA) is urging Florida?s nursery and landscape industry professionals to phase out production, sale and use of Aristolochia plant and 34 others (click to read more») Jack Scheper 10/30/98; updated 10/23/03
|
 Latest Entries:
Recent Plant Profiles:
New! Local Guides
Local Guides
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut DC Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennesee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming |
||||||||||||||||||
Get link
WARNING