The pipe flower impresses with its special flowers with a fascinating appearance. In order for these to develop, however, a number of things must be considered when caring for them.
The pipe flower (Aristolochia) is an imposing phenomenon that often amazes us. First there are the flowers of the ghost plant, which resemble a tobacco pipe and become a cauldron trap for insects, but only until they have pollinated the pipe flower. The large, heart-shaped leaves should also not be underestimated. If you would like to embellish the balcony and terrace with this really unusual plant, you need to follow a few care instructions.
Important care instructions for the saffron flower
❖ Casting:
The plant comes from the rainforests of Brazil and needs regular watering. On hot days it may be necessary to water several times a day, especially if a sunny location has been chosen. The soil should feel evenly moist. However, waterlogging must not occur under any circumstances. If the Dutchman's chanterelle gets "wet feet", this leads to root damage and the plants can rot.
Even in the winter quarters, make sure that the soil does not dry out completely. In order to improvise the warm, humid climate of the rainforest, it is advisable to spray the plant regularly. Since tap water often causes unsightly limescale stains, rainwater or stagnant tap water should be used.
Coming soon:
- water regularly
- Earth must not dry out
- Avoid waterlogging
- also water in winter
❖ Fertilize:
Since the saffron is not hardy and therefore has to be kept in a bucket, there is only a limited range of substrate available. Therefore, the intake of liquid and nutrients is limited accordingly. Regular fertilization is necessary during the growing season to encourage growth and flowering. It is advisable to add a conventional liquid fertilizer for potted plants, such as this one, to the irrigation water at 14-day intervals. Of course, you can also fertilize with granules or with fertilizer sticks that are placed directly in thethe potting soil.
Coming soon:
- fertilize regularly in spring and summer
- no fertilization in winter
- conventional liquid fertilizer at 14-day intervals
❖ Pruning:
Regular pruning promotes the growth and flowering of the saffron. In spring and autumn, the tendrils are therefore shortened to a length of about 30 centimeters. The ghost plant can be cut back all year round if necessary. For example, cuttings can be obtained along the way to propagate the pipe flower.
» Note: American saffron flowers do not necessarily need to be pruned.
❖ Propagation:
The pipe flower can be propagated with three different methods:
- Cuttings
- Seeds
- Division of the root ball
Propagation by cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is easy and usually crowned with success. Even inexperienced hobby gardeners will probably be able to report breeding successes here. Cuttings can easily be obtained during annual pruning.
How it works :
❶ Cut cutting
❷ Place cutting in plant pot
❸ Wait for rooting
❹ Repot plant
The cuttings should be cut fresh. The best time for this is spring. They are then immediately placed in a planter filled with moist growing soil. Patience is now required, because rooting only begins after about three months. The young plants are then repotted and provided with a trellis.
Propagation by seeds
Propagation by seeds is also quite unproblematic. A bit of patience is also required here, but several plants can be grown with little effort.
How to do it:
❶ Get seeds
❷ Press seeds into the soil
❸ Keep the soil moist
❹ Set up the planter warm
❺ Wait for germination
❻ Supporting seedlings
❼ Planting out seedlings
❽ Attaching climbing aids
The best breeding success can be achieved with fresh seed. If you don't know anyone who owns a pipe tree, you can of course also use the commercially available seeds. Here it makes sense to sow large areas, since not all seeds actually begin to germinate.
The seeds are pressed about half a centimeter into the soil. The soil should be kept moist and warm. Waterlogging should be avoided. After germinationthe young plants receive a support in the form of a small wooden skewer. This will soon no longer be enough, because the plants are growing rapidly. From a height of about 15 centimeters, transplant into a suitable planter. Attaching a trellis supports the saffron's fast and lush growth.
Propagation by root division
This method provides the hobby gardener with a full-fledged plant within a few minutes. A strong and well-developed saffron is needed for this. This is first stuffed. Then remove most of the soil from the roots and divide the root ball in half. These are now planted separately and cultivated separately.
How to do it:
❶ Pot the plant
❷ Remove the soil from the root ball
❸ Divide the root ball
❹ Pot the plants separately
❺ Cultivate the plants separately
Hibernate:
A few cultivars of the saffron are hardy. If you own such a specimen, the exotic can hibernate outdoors and can therefore be placed outdoors. A layer of leaves or mulch protects the roots from frost.
Not hardy sirloin flowers are cultivated in tubs and overwinter indoors at temperatures around 15 degrees. The plants are deciduous and should not dry out even in winter.
» Tip: Budding occurs quite late in spring, so there is usually no reason to worry that the saffron has been damaged in winter quarters.
Species of Dutchman's chanterelle
American saffron
The American chanterelle (Aristolochia macrophylla), also known as the American chanterelle, is particularly popular in our latitudes because it is hardy and can therefore be used very well as a hedge plant and for greening walls and facades. The large, heart-shaped leaves lie on top of each other like roof tiles and completely cover the ground or allow no insight when planting hedges. The leaves are shed in late autumn. In spring, the plants sprout again quite late.
» Tip: Young plants grow rather slowly. Growth heights of eight meters are not uncommon for older plants.
The American saffron flowers between April and May. The green-brown flowers appear rather inconspicuous.
Giant saffron
The original home of the giant muddy sedge (Aristolochia gigantea) is in Panama. But the plant isalso commonly found in tropical areas. The climbing plant is not hardy and, due to its impressive size, can only be found in large greenhouses in Germany. The flowers of the giant saffron grow up to 30 centimeters in size.
» Tip: The flowers of this species have a pleasant, slightly sweet scent.
Mostly, pipe flowers smell rather unpleasant. The smell attracts insects, which are then trapped inside the flowers until they pollinate them.
Brazilian saffron
The Brazilian saffron (Aristolochia labiata) is a particularly attractive representative. The not hardy plant feels particularly comfortable in a conservatory. There it impresses with its huge flowers reminiscent of pelicans. The violet-spotted flowers can be admired well into autumn. The plants need a warm but not full sun location. Regular spraying ensures high humidity.
Arborescent saffron
The Arborescent Dutchman's Dutchman is native to El Salvador or southern Mexico. The plants have become rare and are considered endangered. The purple-colored flowers appear directly on the trunk and are equipped with the cauldron traps typical of the Dutchman's chanterelle. Cultivation of the plant in some botanical gardens ensures conservation of the species.