Florida Dutchman's-pipe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Florida Dutchman's-pipe
Scientific classification
Genus:	Aristolochia
Species:	maxima
Synonyms
Aristolochia asperifolia Ule Aristolochia biflora Duch. ex Klotzsch Aristolochia biflora Willd. ex Duch. Aristolochia geminiflora Kunth Aristolochia mathewsii Duch. Aristolochia maxima var. angustifolia Duch. Aristolochia maxima var. geminiflora (Kunth) Duch. Aristolochia mexicana D. Dietr. Aristolochia oblongifolia Brandegee Aristolochia reticulata Holton ex Duch. Aristolochia reticulata Seem. Aristolochia sprucei Mast. Aristolochia wageneriana Schltdl. Howardia geminiflora (Kunth) Klotzsch Howardia gollmeri Klotzsch Howardia hoffmannii Klotzsch Howardia maxima (Jacq.) Klotzsch

Aristolochia maxima is a unique plant that grows in Central and South America. It has also started growing naturally in southern Florida, USA. This means it wasn't originally from Florida but now thrives there.

People call this plant by different names. In the US, it's known as Florida Dutchman's-pipe. In other places, it has names like canastilla (Guatemala), guaco (El Salvador), and tecolotillo (Mexico).

Where Aristolochia maxima Grows

This plant loves warm, wet places. In Florida, you can find it in areas called hammocks. Hammocks are like small islands of trees and plants that grow a little higher than the surrounding wet Everglades land.

It usually grows in places that are less than 50 meters (about 170 feet) above sea level. This shows it prefers lower elevations.

What Aristolochia maxima Looks Like

Aristolochia maxima is a type of plant called a liana. A liana is a woody vine that can grow very tall. It uses other plants, like trees, for support. It twines, or wraps itself, around them to climb upwards.

This vine can reach amazing heights, sometimes growing up to 20 meters (about 67 feet) tall! Its leaves have a special shape. They are wider at the top and narrow down towards the stem. The flowers of this plant are a brownish-purple color.