Evergreen Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia sempervirens)

Product description

The evergreen dutchman's pipe is a climbing plant that originates from the Mediterranean region. In nature it grows primarily in wet, shady forests but can also be found in drier regions. 

This climbing plant coils around tree's shrubs and rocks in order to support itself up to a hight of around 3-5 meters. As the name suggests, the hearshaped leaves are evergreen and have a deep green colour with a glossy suface. This makes the plant an excellent addition to the garden to add some colour in the winter. The plant produces hairy small flowers that are tubular and curved, but very noticable due to their yellow inside and brown ouside. These flowers produce a faint smell that resembles rotting fruit to attract small flies for pollination. After the flies enter the flower, they can no longer escape due to the hairs in the tube. After pollination the plant procues small green fruits which contain the seeds. 

Although the plant originates from the Mediterranean it can survive temperatures as low as -10 degrees. This means that in more temperate regions the plant can be kept outdoors the entire year, granted that it is placed in a sunny spot and in a spot that is protected against very low temperatures (a south facing wall for instance). It is quite drought tolerant so a well-drained soil works best. 

Sowing description: First soak the seeds in lukewarm water for 48 hours. The seeds can be sown in sowing mix, and should be covered with a very thin layer of soil. Move it to a bright spot at a temperature of 20 to 28 degrees Celsius. Constantly keep the soil moist (cover with plastic foil or glass).