Aristolochiaceae FAMILY

Aristolochia sericea

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitShrub

Growth—

Prefers a well-drained, humus-rich, loamy soil and a position in full sun or partial shade^[1]. The flowers of many species in this genus form an intricate trap for pollinating insects. The insects are tempted to an area of the flower where they are unable to grip and they slide down into the utricle - downward pointing hairs prevent them climbing out^[1]. The trap helps to ensure the fertilization of the flowers and the insects are eventually released^[1].

Propagation

Seed - pre-soak for 48 hours in warm water and surface sow. Germinates best at a temperature of 25 - 30c^[1]. Softwood cuttings^[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Aristolochia+sericea>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

[1]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.
[2]Plant Resources of Southeast Asia — http://proseanet.org/ ↩︎Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
[3]Flora Malesiana Series 1 — Various · Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch · http://www.archive.org ↩︎A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet