How to Propagate Dutchman’s Pipe

Aristolochia californica #2 by J.G. in S.F.

TheGardenLady received this question from Neil.

I have taken a shoot off an old vine where I grew up in CT. I want to plant in Georgia. It sits in a glass of water. Looks healthy. Have you any hints on how to get it to make roots for planting? Suggestions for planting? Incidentally, I nver remember seeing any fancy flowers on that vine, rather just green pipes. Could that nbe a matter of nutrition? Vine has been cut back near the grouns every year.

Perhaps you did not see flowers on your Dutchman’s pipe because some species have the flowers blooming under the leaves. Most find it easiest to propagate this plant by seed.

Though articles say that one should be able to propagate Dutchman’s Pipe -Aristolochia– by putting a shoot in water, many people have not had success doing so.

You should try rooting softwood cuttings of climbing Dutchman’s Pipe Vine in early spring. When rooting these vines, it is best to submerge at least three nodes under water. Plants root better in distilled or rain water.

Professionals use a rooting hormone and do not try to root the plant in water. Because it was one of the older known rooting products, I have kept the rooting hormone Rootone in my gardening supplies to use if I want to root a plant (see here).  But there are other brands.  (see here)

People make their own rooting hormone by soaking branches of the weeping willow tree in water.  (see here)  I find that a bottle of rooting hormone goes a long way, so I have never tried to make my own rooting hormone but it seems like a fun thing to try. I hope you have taken enough cuttings of your Dutchman’s Pipe vine to try using a hormone on some shoots and try rooting some in water to see which will give the better results. Let the readers of TheGardenLady.org know which worked best for you.

Aristolochia fimbriata by petrichor

Aristolochia should should grow very well in Georgia. There are about 300 species of this plant, so not knowing which you have, I can not be too specific in giving advice. Some parts of the country are finding some of the aristolochia species invasive.

Outdoors your vine should be planted in fertile, moist but well drained soil in sun or partial shade. It likes fairly neutral pH soil.

The plant likes regular watering during the growth period, once or twice a week. Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer every third watering throughout the growing season.