Pelican Flower (Aristolochia grandiflora)---I got some seeds

[rockhoppernc]

Well I got some Pelican Flower (Aristolochia grandiflora) seeds,,I was told they take about a month to germinate but thats all i know,,any info...
these are cool as heck and eat bugs.

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[swords]

They don't eat bugs, but flies enter the calyx tube and become trapped overnight and bang around inside getting coated in pollen, the next day they release the flies and the fly gets caught into another flower and pollinates it with the pollen coating. There are also some Chilean species which grow along the ground and are likely polinated by ants getting caught.

I love Aristolochias, they are touchy from seed when small but once they are growing well they are quite vigorous if kept moist and warm (don't let them be cooler than 60*F if you want these tropical species to grow throughout the winter). The orchid shop here has an amazing old specimen of Aristolochia grandiflora planted in the floor of the greenhouse. It has a huge wooden trunk several inches thick. When that thing takes off in the summer and starts blooming it's insane, these 12" diameter blooms with a 2-3 foot long tail. If you can find some rooted cuttings or "plants" (rooted cuttings) you'll get to the flowers a lot faster.

I had a nice set of Aristos growing on my patio railing one summer and the apartment came and tore off all the vines and painted the railing. If they'd have told me in advance I could have carefully unwound them but I guess that would been too considerate or something.

Anyway, good luck they are awesome plants!

 

[larry]

I want this species, along with some other ones from the genus, this be an awesome plant!

 

[cgambrell]

rockhoppernc,

This species is very easy to germinate in my expierence. Push seed pointy end down into the soil. water evenly and they will germinate in about three weeks. They grow EXTREMELY fast i started seed in January and had flowers in July.

Cody

 

[rockhoppernc]

hello all,
Well I have 25 seeds up for trade.....so what's you got to trade?