PlantFiles: Dutchman´s Pipe
Aristolochia macroura

I found this plant at Western Hills Nursery in Occidental. The leaves are attractive and shiny. The brown/maroon flowers are fascinating, with an unpleasant, but not horrible, scent. I have had great success with a native California pipevine, so I am looking forward to growing this one. It has not gone through a winter yet. I am a bit concerned, as we can often go below 25 degrees F. I have it planted next to my driveway so I can enjoy the weird flowers close-up.

I grow this vine in my garden in Cuernavaca, México,and
was given to me in a little pot two years ago, now in my
fence it has grow very very large and gives many flowers,I
have succeed propagating by cuttings very easily, I am
enclosing the picture of one of my flowers. I did not know
it was an endangerd specie.

Mirrus

This is a vine from the brazilian coastal vegetation, specially in the Rio de Janeiro state, being fairly common on the board of the forests and Restingas.

It´s a climbing plant that can be massive after some years, even covering short trees and shrubs completely. It has lobate, fuzzy, and rather thick leaves.

The flowers are at least one of the weirdest I´ve ever seen. The petals are vestigial and unimportant. The fused sepals are the main atraction here, forming a sinuous tube (where insects get traped, being set free after the stamens get mature and cover them with pollen) that opens on a triangular, petal-like structure. This "petal" is marron, and has a long tail on the top. I mean, a looooooong tail, reaching up to 1 meter long! The flower is 1 meter long! ("macroura" stands for "long tail", by the way).

Also, this flower stinks like dogs. The tail, specifically, exhalates the smell of escrement, and this smell atracts the pollinators (flies). However, you won´t sense any smell unless you stick your nose in it.

This absolutely exotic vine can be grown on sandy soil, with maybe 1/3 of organic soil on it, partial or full sun, regular waterings and high temperatures. It can be propagated easily from seeds. A must for hardcore collectors, but don´t buy it from anyone, since this plant comes from a vulnerable environment, and is therefore this species is in risk. Buy it only from trustfull nurseries.