Growing Dutchman's Pipes

Has anyone ever grown Aristolochia gigantea 'Brasiliensis' in the Notheast, overwintering it indoors?
If so, how.

I have not grown it in the NE, but I do grow it in FL. Couple things I thought I would mention. The vine likes full sun and heat, so I don't know how happy it will be indoors unless you have a sunroom/greenhouse. Also, this plant need to be big with a lot of growth before it will bloom well. If it does make it through the winter I am wondering if it will get large enough before it cools down again.
I grow several different Aristolochia. A. grandiflora has large blooms although not as large as 'Brasiliensis' . They do have the long tail which makes them, in my opinion, nicer than 'Brasiliensis' . The gigantea 'Brasiliensis' is kind of thin & floppy looking, while the grandiglora flower is heavy and crisp. But importantly, particularly I think for you, the plant will flower much more profusely and on a much smaller plant than 'Brasiliensis'.
As I said, I haven't grown them up North but this may be of some help.

Yes, very helpful. Unfortunately i already havethe Brasiliensis:(. It's in a 2 1/2 pot. What size pot do you think I should put it in and what knid of soil do you use? Can I bring it to your house for the winter? Is it best to hang it?

I would move it up to at least a 1 gallon, or even a 3 gallon. With a 3 gallon you can get a nice trellis in a pot that size for it to grow on. I would think you could get it to flower in a 3 or 5 gallon pot. Get the largest trellis you can. I don't know about hanging it, the plant gets big & I don't know how you would control it in a hanging pot. I make more own soil, plus mine is in the ground, but I would think any good-quality soil would be fine, they don't seem partucularly picky. Lots of water & fertilizer & maybe you can get it to flower by fall.

Thanks Maureen how timely.. Last year I 'd received a few things from a Fl gardner here intrade...today I'd looked at this vine that had spent the winter in this 6" pot..it wasa pretty small plant.. andmaybe a fot long afew weeks ago.. today it is about 3 feet long on afew vines... and Isee it's a Dutchmans Pipe vine.. it did real well on the East window sill overwinter.. and now it's kicking in.. It will go outside in a big planter in a few weeks.. and be given a bamboo a
nd fishline trellis..10' tall.. it will be in competition with my morning glories.. for trellis space.. and some other vines as well.
I wish I knew which one I have... but when it flowers I guess I can ask then..thanks Popper
Gordon

Look in the Logee's catalogue and Wayside Garden(I think) catalogues. I know Logee's has pictures. I felt much better after reading your response (not to slight popper1). it's goood to know it may survive the winter. It's in a two and 1/2 inch pot now so what size do you think i should go to? Also what type of soil dod you use? Watering?

For both of you (esp. popper with that hot FL sun). How much can it take? I want to put it outside.

I hope you both keep me posted. either here or D-Mail.
Maureen

well Maureen..
Minewas inmyregular potting soil ..pro-mix.. or one of the Lowes /homedepot items with NO MOISTURE CRYSTALS I mix this soil with soil from other older pots what ever had the last plant die in it,,. I know.. I know.. not the best ... but then again...it's the green way... reduce.. reuse /recycle.......I like them to dry out fast to promote root growth...which is why I'd only pot it up into a smallish larger pot each time...to keek this cycleing going.
It's a bit cooler up in Worcester than it is here.. so don't rush it too much... I spent every winter growing up in Fayville do you know of it... , ( a part of Southboro...) the snow was over my head back then...was there really more snow then.. Guess I was shorter too...
I'll get some pictures of it to you there.. Gordon

All of mine are in full fun.

Mine is on a trellis that is 12' fall & 4' wide. At the top the vine piles up on itself and probably is a total of 4' thick. It has to be constantly (as in 1-2x/week) to keep it in control.

So mine's in a 2 1/2 -3 in. pot. what would you move up to?Popper you suggesteda much larger pot - why?

IIf it is a tiny plant in a 2.5 pot than I wouldn't go that big. But if it is clearly outgrown the pot & filled the pot with roots I would go big. They grow very fast & have a large root mass. If you go into a larger pot you can add the trellis you want to use and it will be all set. Transplanting the vine once it is established on a trellis is just going to lead to damaging the vine If the trellis you plan to use is someting that goes outside the pot it is even harder to transplant into a larger pot with damage to the vine.

Mine is potbound. So what is 1-3 gallons in terms of inches for size of pot?

Depends on how you plan on growing it. I would go ahead with the 3 gal. and give it a trellis so it can start to get established on it. I would think that a 3 gal would be large enough for it to bloom so you won't need to worry about repotting it. Aristolochia are very easy grow, just sensitive to the cold, so it will fill the pot quickly. Is it warming up there yet?

I have one that has been overwintering in the basement under lights. I got it through a trade and it has been doing well. It's been growing on and off all winter. I hope I get some blooms this year.

Has anyone tried hanging baskets??

It would be hard in a hanging basket. It climbs, it doesn't hang.

Ok Thanks!!

I know I'm stupid but what size pot is 3 gallons, 6", 8"...? i am really bad at math.

Maybe they werre just shining me on but Logee's said you can hang them, tho having only seen one in a orangearie (sp) I don't see how you can.

Well they shined me on too....that's why I bought em!!

This message was edited Apr 6, 2008 7:33 PM

I am sure that the plant will row fine as a hanging pot, but I would think it would continously be growing up all over everything, Plus I cant see it getting large enough in a hanging pot to flower. I cartainly can be wrong, Logee's is a great nursery. I will be interested to see if anyone posts here ands says they have tried/done it, especially if there are pics.

maureen1952 - If I had to guess (please remember it is a guess) I would say a nursery 3 gal is equal to at least an 8"

maybe10" I'd believe ... 3/5 ofa 5 gallon bucket..you don't need a trellis on it now though.. just a little something.. a bit of wire perhaps... I'd go into a 2 litersoda bottle with the top cut off at the top of the label.. holes in the bottom..If you wet a 3 gallon pot.. with out a big plant to help suck out the water ... just the soil.. it will be wet a week lateer.. your 2 liter bottle will be dry days before.. now that's more watering..granted...but the plant has gone from dry.. to wet..and then dry in the same time.. it thinks stuff is happeing.. and it had bet keep it up also... IMHO..
support it as you can.. they slip out of the soda bottles so easy..there's little stress in the transplanting.. I wish you had two of them there..
Gordon

Hey, thanks. I never even thought about a bottle. What is IMHO? I wish i had to also.

Oh Maureen...
_It's.....IMHO......In My Humble Opinion... attributing mental process to plants...
Well....maybe..
Gordon

Hi all, I had a large Dutchman's Pipe app.10' tall and hugh around before winter. I protected it from frost as well as I could ( last year it didn't freeze) so I thought I might be ok.Well, lost all the big boy but a tiny sprig just came out this week. I will leave it in the BIG pot because the roots are established there. Learned a lesson !!! Yes, it freezes, even in Texas. Today, news talks of tornadoes, hahaha.

I have a question I hope someone can help me with. How do I protect the ends of a cane trellis.(the part that touches the soil) I love the natural look of cane but it deteriorates. Thanks for your help.
jana

ana.. well you can put a spike up into the bamboo held there with construction adheasivere .. or make a PVC pipe bootie for the bottom of it..set it with construction adheasive also.. You might just set it on afewflat rocks.. and tie the thing down with a spike into the ground and wireing the trellis to it..
I'm writing rather than going down and bringing up a 50 pc bundle of 12' long bamboo Guess I should make a few trips with it up th 4 flights of stairs..
I took a trip to Bamboo and Rattan works today. it's about 2 hours into NJ.. but they have every type and size...like the 8" dia. poles... made up fencing.. gates..woven tiki roofs .. everything you need for a jungle shack... but I just went for trellis makings... ugh..it's too heavy.. it's too long.......................like a ballet... and dancing with the fat lady..................
Gordon

Well, well Gordon-- you talkin bout me??? This fat lady can't dance too well anymore. hahaha
4 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS ??? Where do you have your plants,, on the roof? Do you protect the ends of the bamboo trellis? I don't know how long it will last unprotected, but all that hard work down the drain hurts my feelings.
jana

Boy...got the bundle up here now...come on dear... get your leg up over the rail.. OK.. that's it... you're almost there.. Oh Babe.. that's it... See...wasn't that just the easiest..betitweighed over 150 lbs.. much heavier than a90lb bag of concrete..and 12 ' long.. ..
Jana...oh yes... you can do it... just get it all moving at the same time..
all my plants are down here with me for another few weeks.. then yes.. they andI go up to the roof.. where the natural soil is 98% petroleum.. ..and yes.. I have to use raised beds..
Gordon

Gordon, I"m sweatin or excited ( can't tell the difference)haha I got my bundle up ,,, then my leg up,,then ,,, I"m already tired and didn't even dance!!!!! Now, I have to deal with petroleum !!!
Raised bed or not, it's time for a nap.

oh...me too... had a nap right away..after all that.. now I'm awake again.. but it's too late to do too much.. just now.. but a 4 hour nap.. that's about nighttine Gordon

Gordon, is there no elevator in your building or is it just not tall enough for your bamboo? I"ll have to talk to my son-in-law. He is a big shot in the Houston office with Shindler. Maybe he can get you an elevator with a 12' ceiling !
jana

Oh..Thanks Jana..
It wasn't so heavy... about 110 lbs by measure,,
OH.. we've a small building.. a store and three upper floors..I have the top floor.. with deaded access to the roof ..Ij ust have to maintain it as my expence.. we are a con-dop.. needless to say thisis aresult of the store being the law offices of the principal.. the firm.. and the three upper units are in a two person condominum arrangement us and them.... us ... the top residental units are a co-op arrangment.. together in that mentioned condominum..
any way..negoation would be a major undertaking..the stairs keep the members of a younger if not healthir bunch.. I gugess it's time to sell out then... if the market wasn't so strange.. although in this area it's hot.. always.. well at least perking.. we've 10 blocks of botique eaterys on the next street. now....so it's like having a home with 40 different complete kitchens ..cooks ..assistants and service staff at your disposal in the next wing of your home ....each cooking a different cusine..coking each night wheather or not you come in .....or call and ask them to bring it upstairs.. to you.. Then there's another 40 in the extended area... all ready at your beck n call.. it would be difficult to maintain such a personal staff in the country..I doubt any do..seems extravagant..so there's a market for it... With a city view garden.
No elev.ator.. Gordon

wow growing on roof tops. I couldnt believe it. Beautiful. Gordon. I have trouble finding canes for my garden . I am raising some pole beans and the longest I could find was abou 6ft . At home depot. Fran

New Name for Gordon----" Muscles"
you gotta be kidding 110 lbs up 4 flights of stairs !
Your garden looks great. And the idea of 80 places to eat and not cook or clean up the dishes,
woo. Pretty good after all. Also,,, benefit,,,
no mowing the grass !!!
jana

Oh..Jana..
Well not quite true..what would a knock-out garden be ..with out some grass..and a little mowing.. although I do it all in 5 mintues with a string trimmer... I guess there's about....110sq ft of lawn...that's managable.. Gordon

Oh..Fran...yes, you'll not get long bamboo at HD.. and I'd not find it anywhere else either.. it's great.. real straight and even sized through the 12'..the thin end isn't but a small fraction of a bit smaller than that of the top end.. they are real similar in size... perfect I attach it andconnect it togetheruseing the plastic wite ties from HD Iget 1000 for about $20..and at every intersection I have one or two.. I'm sure they will ship..after all they are shipped from if you couldn't guess China already.. http://bambooandrattan.com/ they have most any size length typeorconfiguration...and have been doing it since 1880..
So.. take your two 6 ft lengths from HD over lap then a foot on each one lay them together.. and put two or three ofthe 8" plastic wire ties around them and cinch them tight..now you have an 11ft length...and one that will never break.

Gordon,
Thanks a lot for the information. Home depot did say they did have some longer ones but they were all gone when I was there . they only cost two or three dollars for two packages. So I guess I can do as you said tie them together . Fran

Fran, hve you tried a sealent that you can either paint or spray on, or dip the ends in wax? Just brainstorming. There is a new spray product that you can spray on almost anything and it covers it with plastic ( forget the ame but it's in craft and stores like HD).
i would thik any of those would protect the ends of your bamboo.

Thanks Maureen for the tip on saving the ends of the bamboo. I cut pieces of pvc pipe and now need to find something to seal the ends. I will try to find the spray,,,, would be much easier.
jana

Greetings all ............

Thought I'd show you a picture of my Aristolochia Braziliensis "Gigantea". It is just coming into blooming season - and never fails to mesmorize everyone who sees it. The flowers are 15 inches tall x 11 inches wide !!! It is one of several Aristolochias that I grow. They have come back from temps as low as 25 degrees farenheit - and get better every year. Those are my fingers at the edge of the photo.

Maureen ........ there is no reason you shouldn't be able to grow one in a 3 gallon pot. I use Miracle Grow Potting Soil for my potted plants - and everything thrives in it; plus - you don't have to feed for the first year since it contains their brand of food.

John