Do I need to take my Astrolochia plants inside for Winter??

Some of these are seedlings (thanks Donna) and some are plants from Parks. I think we are a 7/8 zone here in Southern NM. This is the first time I grow these and the five from Parks are about to bloom, the things look very small still, but you can see the buds/pipes if that is what you call them.

What temps can these take? My butterfly gardening is taking off..

Thank you for any responses.

A.

Which aristolochia species? I know I have had success overwintering A. fimbriata, although I have not tried any other species yet.

Well, the ones that are older plants are A. gigantea, a couple I will bring in which are A. trilobata a young plant and the seedlings on A. elegance..

I just want to know if I should bring them in before we hit 50's at night.. I don't know if the seedlings would survive their first winter outdoors, they are about three inches tall.

You are not too far from me. How have you been??
A.


edited to ask: how exactly do you overwinter (i've got some passies too), we moved from CA to NM.. so, I don't know what to do to overwinter stuff. Just bring into the house? near windows right...
Thanks.
A.

This message was edited Oct 5, 2007 6:53 PM

Antionette just bring them in the garage. Mine all over wintered fine in there. I put the florescense lights on in the day and if temps were to get down in the low 30's or upper twenties I would dry my clothes late at night before going to bed to heat it a little. Normally doesn't get below 40 in there. Keep them pretty dry too. Only water when needed and lightly. Don't deep soak. I have Trilobata, Gigantea Brasilinesis, Elegans, and Tometosa in the ground this year so don't know yet how they will do. I have back up cuttings rooting for Trilobata and Gigantea just in case. Tomentosa and Elegans are supposed to be hardy here in 8b so not really worried about them especially since they are in a sheltered location as well

I overwinter similar to Donna. Somethings, such as some passies, brugs, c&s and a few others, I overwinter inside the house. Many things, bananas, plumeria, tender bulbs, and a few tender perenials go into the garage where it doesn't drop below freezing.

Roswell's about 3 hours from you, but the climate is the same. I definitely wouldn't try to overwinter small seedlings, atleast until I had a few back ups. : )

I would bring them indoors for the winter also. I doubt 50 degrees would hurt them, mine are still outside and it's been 50 here as well.

I am leaving one of my older ones out side. I always forget if it's elegans or gigantia the one I have. I hope it comes back, I'll mulch it well before winter gets here, if it dies, I'll know it doesn't make it here through the winter LOL but I have a huge one just like it that grows inside the greenhouse.

I just found out I have elegans and it's grandiflora that is the other one, not gigantea LOL

Oh thank you all, I am getting really obsessed with these plants.. I love them. Do you guys know where to buy seeds for A. serpentia? The A. grandiflora looks fantastic and so does the brazilensis.

I've been holding off starting the fimbriata seeds, but I think I'll start it inside over winter and hopefully it will be ready to go outside in spring. it's terrible when you get something in your brain and decide you cannot do without it..

How can you hold out for seeds to germinate, don't they take months? you should look on ebay, i've seen quite a few aristolochia seeds of diff varieties on there.

My A. fimbriata took months. Everything I read said bottom heat and patience, lol. Well a whole summer passed and I had given up and I just placed the tray outside and left it there for the winter. Wouldn't you know, come spring they all germinated and I was over run with seedlings. I think the cold stratification helped with that one.

Wow, I must have had alot of luck with the elegance, it took about a month and I think almost every seed germinated. I just assumed that all of them were that way. Did you make sure they were moist at all times, I used seran wrap on top of the container. I'll check Ebay out too. Thanks. I'm already making a list..lol.

Well, Ebay only had some seeds, but I already have those.. I hate to even say this, but I don't like to purchase off of ebay, you never know what or how old the seeds really are. The plants I got from Parks were nice and blooming size for only 4.95 each when they had their sale and I got 5 of them and they were healthy and are blooming now. Sometimes I get bad plants there too, but they don't give you a hard time when they have to replace anything.

So, I'll stick to regular plant companies.

I've had the same problem with ebay seeds. I've had too many things germinate and not be what they should have been.

I never buy seeds off ebay either. I have bought some heirloom veggie seeds though, they did well LOL

I have however bought 4 aristolochias off ebay different varieties, and two are very nice sized now, and one came to me as a huge plant, I have alway s had good luck buying plants off ebay. I don't think i'd ever have the patience for germinating aristolochia seeds though LOL

oooh, this opened today... I am so hooked on these... my seedlings (thank you Donna) are also doing great, they are inside. I love this plant.

I put my hand next to it, it is really big... there are about 6 more buds.. guess it can't be hand pollinated, couldn't even see down the tube.

I'm in love!!!!♥♥♥♥♥

Gourd,
I have an aristolochia on my trellis that I planted a few years back. It died and I have;t seen it in 2 years. This year it chose to pop up from out of nowhere. It is now about 12 feet tall (I have it trained all the way up the 8 foot trellis and then have it making its way back down and then back up a little. I believe it was a wooly dutchmans but have no idea. When should I expect to possibly see a flower so I can really tell what kind it is? Have seen no sign of flowers however when my leaves dry up they look pretty funny. Lets see, do I have a picture on this computer?
Nope..don;t see one. All I know is the leaves are big and heart shaped and then tendrils that grab onto the trellis and its neighboring passiflora are fuzzy, thick and long

Flutter

Hi there Flutter,
Well, it seems that if your plant has settled in good and has a good root system, you may be getting flowers soon. Did it bloom the first year you had it?

The particular plants that have buds on them now were purchased from an on-line vendor and were not very big when I got them. They were about 5 inches tall, now they are about 12 ft plus, and they are twined around a small teepee type bamboo stick in 3 gallon pots. Out of the five plants, two are blooming.. the tiny buds grew really fast, so there is plenty of time for yours to get buds and bloom this winter.

Flutter, from what I've read about these, they can bloom several times in different seasons. Since it has been in the ground this long, it is probably ready to bloom too. Please post a photo when it does.. they are so addicting and it is so exciting waiting for the flower.

It has never bloomed and the first year it got nowhere near this big. I think I got it when it was about 2 feet tall in a pot. I planted it and it died. It is amazzing how big this one has gotten and it was barely there in May. I'll keep an eye out

Chris