Description The slender, trailing stems of white-veined Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia fimbriata) reach about 2 feet long, with kidney-shaped, green leaves that are heavily veined with silver-white. Small, fringed, yellow flowers with dark interior markings appear through the summer. Where it is hardy, this cool plant makes an interesting an unusual groundcover; in any climate, it looks terrific cascading out of a hanging basket or over the edge of a pot, planter, or windowbox. (Be aware that the foliage has kind of a funky, bitter odor when disturbed, so it’s not a great choice for a spot where you will brush the leaves as you pass by.) It is also a host plant for the larvae (caterpillars) of pipevine swallowtail butterflies. In my experience, white-veined Dutchman’s pipe grows most happily in partial shade and somewhat moist, but not wet, soil. It will flower the first year from seed, so you can grow it as an annual anywhere, or bring it indoors for the winter in cold-winter areas. White-veined Dutchman’s pipe is reported to be a hardy perennial in Zones 7 or 8 to 10. It hasn’t been overwintering outdoors in my Zone 6/7 garden, but it does self-sow here a bit. The plants I keep in a container come into my unheated basement after the first fall frost. I trim them back to about 1 inch, leaving the swollen underground base (technically, the caudex) in the pot, and let them go almost completely dry while they are in the dark; then I take the pot back outside in early to mid spring and begin watering again. These overwintered plants flower heavily for me in June and July. I cut them back to an inch or two above the roots in early August, and they quickly produce a flush of fresh leaves that looks good through late August through fall. Collected in August and September 2025. At least 15 seeds. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Please read the germination information as well before ordering.
