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Aristolochiaceae FAMILY

Aristolochia mollissima

Aristolochia mollissima

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant contains aristolochic acid, which has a range of positive medicinal activities. However, there are also potential harmful activities when it is taken internally. When used in large doses or even in small doses over a prolonged period, it can be particularly dangerous for the kidneys, causing irreversible damage, haematuria (blood in the urine) and limb paralysis [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Many species are used medicinally, taken both internally and externally, but some countries, including China, have banned them from internal use[6]

Cultivation Details

HabitClimber
Growth—

Aristolochia mollissima is found in mainly warm temperate regions of central and eastern China, growing in hardiness zones 6 - 9. Prefers a well-drained loamy soil, rich in organic matter, in sun or semi-shade[7, 8, 9]. Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[8]. Most species in this genus have malodorous flowers, often smelling like decaying flesh[10]. They are pollinated by the small flies that are attracted to the flowers by these foetid odours and by the purple-brown colour of the flowers. The flies enter the flower when the stigmas are receptive and then become trapped in the hairy throat of the flower until after the anthers dehisce, thus ensuring pollination[9, 11, 4].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn. Pre-soak stored seed for 48 hours in hand-hot water and surface sow in a greenhouse[8]. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 20°c[8]. Stored seed germinates better if it is given 3 months cold stratification at 5°c[9]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Division in autumn[9]. Root cuttings in winter[9]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Aristolochia+mollissima>

Pollinators

Flies

References

  1. [1]Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. — Yeung. Him-Che. · Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles · 1985 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
  2. [2]Medicinal Plants of China — Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. · Reference Publications, Inc. · 1985 · ISBN 0-917256-20-4 ↩︎Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
  3. [3]The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants — Chevallier. A. · Dorling Kindersley. London · 1996 · ISBN 9-780751-303148 ↩︎An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
  4. [4]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
  5. [5]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
  6. [6]Diuretic Properties and Chemical Constituent Studies on Stauntonia brachyanthera — Xuan Li Liu, Dan Dan Wang, Zi Hao Wang, & Da Li Meng · 2015 · http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/432419 ↩︎
  7. [7]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  8. [8]Growing from Seed. Volume 2. — Rice. G. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1988 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
  9. [9]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  10. [10]Scented Flora of the World. — Genders. R. · Robert Hale. London. · 1994 · ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
  11. [11]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons, London. · 1990 · ISBN 0 460 86048 8 ↩︎A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
  12. [12]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
  13. [13]A Barefoot Doctors Manual. — ? · Running Press; Philadelphica. · 1977 · ISBN 0-914294-92-X ↩︎A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
  14. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎