Dutchman's pipe or pipevine is a deciduous, woody, climbing vine in the pipevine family (Aristolochiaceae). It is native to eastern North America, including North Carolina. It is typically found in the wild, in moist woods, or near streams. The genus name is a compound of two Greek words: aristos , meaning "best," and locheia , meaning "childbirth." This references the flower bud's resemblance to a human fetus. The species epithet is Latin for “large leaf.” This native vine prefers rich, moist, and well-drained soil. It is intolerant of dry soil and needs protection from strong winds. The plant prefers full sun to partial shade. It may be pruned in the late winter to control its growth. Seeds and cuttings are used to propagate this vine. The leaves of pipevine are up to 12 inches long and heart-shaped, smooth (not hairy, as in Aristolochia tomentosa ), deep green, and silver-colored underneath. The flowers are usually inconspicuous because they are hidden or lost in the vine's dense foliage. The small blossoms are yellow-greenish with brownish-purple lobes. The fruits are green capsules that turn gray to black when they mature. The overlapping and dense cloak of leaves can form a beautiful screen for a garden or porch wall. This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. Pipevine is the main larval food source for the p ipevine swallowtail butterfly ( Battus philenor ) . The caterpillars can devour all the leaves, but the defoliated vine will recover. The caterpillars do no lasting harm. The flowers emit an odor that attracts flies, which are the pollinators. The vine is moderately resistant to deer. Insect, Disease, and Other Plant Problems: No serious disease/insect problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Spreading
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf shape
Cordate
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are large, smooth, and heart-shaped. The leaf is dark green on the upper surface and pale silver beneath. They measure up to 12 inches long and create a dense screen on a trellis, arbor, fence, or wall.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Trumpet
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The Dutchman's Pipe flowers are inconspicuous and hidden by the vine's dense foliage. They measure 1-2 inches long and resemble Dutch smoking pipes. They are yellow-greenish in color with brownish-purple lobes and have no petals. They bloom from May to June and have an unusual fragrance.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Gray/Silver
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
In late summer or early fall, a greenish six-sided capsule forms. It measures 2 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. It ripens to a gray or black capsule.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Brown
Bark detail
The bark is brown and fairly smooth. It develops shallow vertical splits.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
The stems are slender and green but eventually will turn brown. They have wooly buds.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern Canada and Eastern United States
Distribution
Native: Canada--Ontario; United States--GA, KY, MD, NY, NC, PA, SC, TN, VT, VA, and WV; naturalized: CT, MA, and NJ.
Wildlife value
It is a larval host plant for the Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly. The leaves are an important food source for the caterpillars.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators
Host plant for
Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly
Play value
Screening; Wildlife Larval Host
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
All parts of the vine are toxic if ingested
Uses (ethnobotany)
In the past, a European species was used medically for pain or infections related to childbirth.