Glorious pipevine flower

Have you ever seen a Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly (Battus philenor)? You might not have known what it was called, but I bet you never forgot the incredible sight of a black-winged butterfly. Their underwings are black with spots of orange, cream, and blue. Earlier this year in my Pipevine Dreams post I wrote about this wonderful butterfly and its host plant, the Pipevine (Aristolochia), also known as Dutchman's Pipe.

Well, George discovered an amazing development in the garden this morning. A hybrid pipevine which he planted along our side fence just bloomed. And we're not talking slightly different pipes, we're talking dramatic, four- to five-inch flowers! Taa-daa-- a flowering Aristolochia durior x A. elegans.

The colors are stunning, with the broad flowers a deep maroon speckled with white, and the throats gleaming intense yellow tinged with orange-red. In the fourth photo you can see the large pipe behind the flower. The photo with George's hand for scale shows you how large the flowers are.

George got the starter vine at the University of California Botanical Garden. They're having their Fall Plant sale on September 30th, and although I don't know whether they have any of these right now, they always have amazing plants for sale.

What's special in your garden this week? Any bird, butterflies, or blooms?

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