Aristolochia watsonii – Watson's Dutchman's Pipe

Aristolochia watsonii - Watson's Dutchman's Pipe, Southwestern Pipevine (flower)

Aristolochia watsonii - Watson's Dutchman's Pipe, Southwestern Pipevine (flower bud and leaf)

Aristolochia watsonii - Watson's Dutchman's Pipe, Southwestern Pipevine (fruit)

Aristolochia watsonii - Watson's Dutchman's Pipe, Southwestern Pipevine (green fruit)

Plant Name

Scientific Name: Aristolochia watsonii

Common Names: Watson's Dutchman's Pipe, Southwestern Pipevine

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial

Growth Habit: Vine, Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Desert, Upland, Riparian

Flower Color: Green and dark brown

Flowering Season: Spring (late), Summer, Fall (early)

Height: Trailing to 3 feet (91 cm) long

Description: The flowers are tubular, 1 1/4 inches (3.2 cm) long, recurved, and have an elongated brown mouth and a green, hairy throat with brown spots. The leaves are long, narrow, arrow-shaped, and green to brownish in color. The fruit is plump, green, and ribbed.

Special Characteristics

Butterfly Plant – It is the food plant for Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) caterpillars. These caterpillars will eat both the leaves and the fruit.

Poisonous – These plants are poisonous and contain the toxic aristolochic acid.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Magnoliidae
Order: Aristolochiales
Family: Aristolochiaceae – Birthwort family
Genus: Aristolochia L. – dutchman's pipe
Species: Aristolochia watsonii Woot. & Standl. – Watson's dutchman's pipe

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map
Watson's Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia watsonii) – The Firefly Forest