Quackin Grass Nursery

Aristolochia macrophylla (syn. A. durior) - An old-fashioned porch climber clamoring to create a lovely wall, the sun illuminating the leaves, casting a bright green glow where you rest... ahh, the comforting a la Norman Rockwell vision of the back and forth settee lightly creaking on a warm summer late afternoon with the dappled light shimmering through the light breeze-blown heart-shaped leaves of Dutchman's Pipe... I don't know about you but I sure would like to be the one gently rocking back and forth on that settee... with an iced tea... maybe something stronger. Leaves can grow as big as 10 inches. Small, fascinating Dutchman's pipes in yellow, yellow-green and purple develop in spring. This plant feeds the Pipevine Swallowtail which have been making forays into the northeast. (Now if we can just get a handle on those damned European Paper Wasps, the antithesis of Norman Rockwell. Monsters! Caterpillars from any number of beloved butterflies are the unfortunate prey. They are becoming notably scarce where the European Wasps have set up housekeeping.) But hearkening back to Norman Rockwell, Aristolochia macrophylla is an Eastern North America original having made natural forays into the Province of Ontario as well. This will tolerate juglans, a powerful allelopathic compound in Black Walnut. Aristolchia macrophylla had become confused with A. tomentosa, a noxious weedy thing; these are actual A. macorphylla. Fertile, draining ground in part shade. Established pot grown vine from division.

(An interesting note: the European Paper Wasp population quite suddenly crashed in 2016. There were many fewer - almost none - and we did see the hopeful evidence of more butterflies. Now in 2017 we have seen a number of fine species as of mid-June. May their numbers burgeon. Plant for beauty, effect and practicality... but always consider the benefits to nature when you do so. Always.)