October 26, 1892. J 



Garden and Forest. 



509 



Plant Notes. 



Aristolochia Sipho. 



IN the illustration on this page is shown a fine example 

 of the well-known Dutchman's Pipe, Aristolochia Sipho, 

 as the broad leaves are seen relieved against the mat of 

 Japanese Ampelopsis close against the walls of the house. 

 The plant is striking here, but its luxuriant growth shows 

 that it can be used to even better purpose where a cover- 

 ing is needed for a trellis or wall or wherever else a good 

 thick screen is a desideratum. Although well known, the 

 Dutchman's Pipe is much less frequently seen in gardens 

 than would generally be supposed. 



An inhabitant of the Allegheny region so rich in trees and 

 shrubs, from Pennsylvania southward, it proves perfectly 



This dense leafage pretty eftectually conceals the curious 

 brown-colored flowers, an inch and a half long, and of a 

 shape resembling a siphon, or Dutch pipe, from which like- 

 ness the plant derives its specific and popular names. As 

 the Aristolochias are without petals, the curious flovi'er- 

 tube is simply the calyx. The fruit is a six-angled, oblong 

 capsule, two or three inches in length, and it is said that 

 the seed does not long retain its vitality. Fruit seems to 

 be uncommon or rarely produced in northern gardens. 

 Where fresh seed is not available the Dutchman's Pipe 

 may be propagated by layering or by cuttings in sand, 

 under glass and with some bottom-heat. 



We have many other vines, suitable for coverings or 

 screens, whose foliage is more pleasing and graceful than 

 this, which is somewhat coarse in appearance, but there is 

 a solidity about it which makes it peculiarly appropriate in 



Fij;. 86, — Aristolochia Sipho on tlie house of Mr. S B. Parsons, Flusliinp;. Long Island. 



hardy in most parts of New England and will thrive even 

 as far north as Montreal. In fact, the St. Lawrence Valley 

 is much more favorable to plants of doubtful hardiness 

 than many other regions farther south. 



Aristolochia Sipho grows and thrives best in a deep, rich 

 soil, and in most situations requires no protection in win- 

 ter. As it is a twiner, and not a climber like Ivy, it will 

 not grow up a blank wall vi^ithout poles, wires or some 

 other such objects, about and among which the stems may 

 twine. The stems are very pliant and tough and may be 

 freely handled or trained in any direction without fear of 

 breaking. The very thick, large, roundish heart-shaped 

 leaves are often a foot in length and eight inches wide, 

 and when in full foliage the plant forms one of the most 

 perfect and dense screens which can be grown on a trellis. 



some situations. It seems to be very little affected by 

 fungous or insect diseases. 



Aristolochia tomentosa is another hardy species, with 

 much the same habit as A. Sipho, but it is a much more 

 slender plant, with lighter- colored and very much smaller 

 leaves and smaller flowers of a brownish or greenish 

 yellow color, v\nth a deep purplish colored tube. The 

 Dutchman's Pipe appears to be little, if at all, used medici- 

 nally as is the Virginia Snake-root (A. serpentaria) and 

 others of the same genus, both in this country and the Old 

 World. 



The greatest number and the finest representatives of 

 the genus are inhabitants of the tropics, and chiefly of 

 tropical America. Figures of one of these were given in 

 the third volume of Garden and Forest (pp. 598 and 599) 



