Aristolochia serpentaria for Pipevine Swallowtails

15 years ago

I've got some Aristolochia serpentaria (Virginia snakeroot) seed to share with the forum members this fall.

Also, if it is your desire to be up and running with native host plants for the pipevine swallowtail (PVS) next spring, then you might consider obtaining a plant or two of the Aristolochia serpentaria this fall. It is a shade-loving perennial that gets about 15" tall if planted in a good rich soil.

My beds of A. serpentaria really drew in the PVS this summer in contrast to the previous two years when none visited my garden. Hmm, I wonder why they suddenly showed up this summer? Because I planted more A. serpentaria perhaps?

Anyway, contact me if you are wanting some seed or more information about this plant.

Rod Angeroth

rodangeroth@yahoo.com

402-439-5256

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Comments (10)

jwink246
15 years ago
I would love some. I have emailed you.
Jennifer
MissSherry
15 years ago
Rod, the Va. snakeroots I got from you last year have really fed the PVS cats this year! They 've been chewed to the ground numerous times, and always come back quickly, feeding still more cats. They're still in containers, but I'll be planting them in the ground soon.
MissSherry
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Whoa! That is awfully expensive for one 6" plant....more so if PVS are going to eat it to the ground :o) We get Pipevine Swallowtails by the hundreds at the ranch and they use our native Texas Swanflower (Aristolochia erecta). There must be gobs of growing there but I rarely come across it. It is truly a small plant - barely gets 6 inches tall. It blends easily into the native grass and the only time I've been able to find them is when I see a female PVS laying eggs on them or I notice several caterpillars munching on a lonely plant. Those caterpillars do stand out with their orangish red coloring :o) Have no idea how such small plants can sustain so many PVS but they manage every year without fail. Have you used White-Veined Pipevine (Aristolochia fimbriata)? That grows easily from seed and I raise PVS caterpillars on that as it is a much bigger plant and the tendrils will curl up a small trellis to about two to three feet. It is also easier to maintain as a garden plant. ~ Cat (tip of South Texas)
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The only other supposed host plant I have read about is wild ginger, Asarum canadense. I assume this is true because we often find males patrolling where this plant grows and no A. serpentaria. I have yet to see a female laying on it though. I have tried it and the cats stick their toungue out at it (metaphorically speaking :)). As Miss Sherry said, there is a lot of misinformation out there. That is why when I teach butterfly gardening classes, I don't give out lists. I teach people how to research plants and tell them use three sources to confirm the plant in question. I visited a tropical butterfly house last winter and the staff person pointed to a Julia and said "I have those every summer in my yard" (in southern Ohio). I didn't argue. As tactfully as I could, I suggested that they should contact Ohio Lepidopterists because that would be a state record. Sigh.... Cheers, Elisabeth
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Dear Mechelle - I live in the Tidewater area of Eastern Virginia out near Williamsburg, and am desperately trying to farm Aritolochias to raise PVS cats also, as are many other people. If you have any fimbriata seeds still available at this late date, I would love to have a few and give them a try. I'm afraid I don't know much about raising the very small serpentaria roots that I recently purchased. But they are potted up and show signs of growth, even in now in August. The seller said that they wouldn't grow until next Spring, which kinda surprised me! So I've been online reading on the Forum here and I've learned that having "back-up" forage plants is a must when one has a female PVS visitor, which I plan for next Spring. Can you help? Do you have suggestions for keeping serpentaria "vines" alive until next Spring in zone 7? I could even send you an SASE to make it easy (if you have any fimbriata seeds still available)! Thanks!
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Congratulations, Jeff! They're my favorite cat to raise. They're so comical and I love to hear them eat. I waited several years before I got some PVST here, but I was glad that they waited awhile because I would never have had enough pipevine the first couple years to feed very many cats. Last year after I released them, they mated and laid eggs for yet another generation here, but this year after I raised them and released them, those ingrates left never to be seen again. Ha. I think I'm happy with one "brood" a year though. Even though I have a lot of pipevine, 200+ cats last year put a pretty big dent in it! Cathy
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west_texas_peg
15 years ago
If you still have seeds, I would love to have some. I recently received Aristolochia fimbriata seeds which some suggested I go ahead and direct sow now. I have never grown either of these plants so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Peggy
linda_centralokzn6
15 years ago
I just got a wonderful shipment of A. serpentaria seeds and dried roots, just full of lush roots. My plants were ate to the ground numerous times this summer, and rebounded.

I highly recommend Rod's plants and seeds. He is a very honest and generous man. You will be very pleased with your order, if you have a filtered light area in rich amended soil for these plants.

They do love Miss Sherry's famous chicken manure. :)
ghoghunter
15 years ago
I would love some too. I'll send you an e-mail!
Joann
cass_fritillary
15 years ago
Can anyone tell me how this plant does in zone 8? I live just north of dallas and am trying to plant mostly natives and just about anything to attract butterflies to my garden. I am really interested in attracting the PVS and am curious how big the a. serpentaria gets in my region.

I have tried to get a. tomentosa and a. fimbriata but all my local nurseries are sold out or don't carry it at all. I didn't realize how hard this stuff was to find.
linda_centralokzn6
15 years ago
Cass, I can't really speak for Zone 8. But, from experience, the serpentaria does not get very large, and the leaves are quite tender, making it beneficial for the younger cats. It would take "mega" amounts of it to feed an entire colony. I tend to supplement the tomentosa and clematitis with the serpentaria. I have not tried the fimbriata, but I hear that it does quite well in Texas.

Hopefully, someone from Texas will be of more help. It will take alot of plants of whatever you choose, as they tend to lay lots of eggs, and eat alot. But, the rewards are just heaven!!! They are most the most beautiful butterfly, and the caterpillars are just too cute.

I hear your pain. Aristolochia is hard to find. I've had to mail order all of mine, and it is not cheap. And, the plants are usually quite small. It is taken me 3 years for my plants to get established enough to have a colony all summer.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I commend you for your interest in native plants. I have started planting more native plants. They just seem to do much better.

Keep us posted.

For those of you interested in the seeds, I have had excellent luck with germination with refrigerating the seeds with a lil moisture until about February, and then Wintersowing them in pots inside plastic bags with slits. My germination was much better than planting the seeds in the ground. You may want to try sowing some in the ground, and some in pots, and see what works better for you. :)
butterflymomok
15 years ago
Cass,

I can get you started with Tomentosa. I have some that I have harvested that I keep in small pots until they are established. I have a plant I could send to you. I harvest the runners from some wild growing Tomentosa that gets constantly mowed down by the county.

This Tomentosa is not growing in a wild area per se, it grows on the right of way bordering my neighborhood. Just wanted to make that clear to anyone that might think I was going out in the wild and digging up the plants!

I only take the runners so the original plants are still growing.

You can email me and send me your address. These are very tiny plants, but they have grown roots and put on new growth.

OKSandy
ghoghunter
15 years ago
Rod I got my seeds this week! Thanks very much. I'm going to winter sow mine and see how they do!
Joann
kek19
15 years ago
I just sent you an e-mail, not sure if this offer still stands or not.

Aristolochia serpentaria for Pipevine Swallowtails

Comments (10)

jwink246

MissSherry

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