#dutchman'spipe

Plant of the Day

Tuesday 9 November 2021

In the humid, tropical atmosphere of the Waterlily House at the Royal Botanic Garden Kew, London, the Aristolochia gigantea (giant Dutchman's pipe, Brazilian Dutchman's pipe or giant pelican flower) was flowering. This is a vigorous, evergreen twining climber with heart-shaped leaves and reddish-purple flowers with intricate cream mottling, and an unpleasant smell to attract pollinating flies. This species is native to humid forested areas from Costa Rica and Panama to Brazil.

Plant of the Day

Tuesday 24 April 2018

In the tropical glasshouses at Cambridge Botanic Garden, Cambridge, UK, the rather strange flowers of Aristolochia cathcartii (Dutchman's pipe) are appearing. This woody climber has tubular, inflated cream flowers with purple markings. The mouth of the flower has an edge of purple hairs that imprison flies and beetles attracted by the smell of rotting flesh. The insects are then covered in pollen and the hairs wither to allow the pollinators to visit the next flower.