Aristolochia serpentaria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aristolochia serpentaria |
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Aristolochia
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| Species: |
serpentaria
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Aristolochia serpentaria is a special flowering plant. It is often called Virginia snakeroot. This plant grows naturally in eastern North America. You can find it from Connecticut all the way south to Texas and Florida.
Contents
About Virginia Snakeroot
What Does It Look Like?
Virginia snakeroot has unique flowers. They are shaped like small pipes. The plant also has leaves that look like hearts.
Why Is This Plant Important?
Virginia snakeroot is very important for certain butterflies. It is a "host plant" for them. This means butterflies like the Pipevine swallowtail and the polydamas swallowtail lay their eggs on it. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars eat the plant's leaves to grow.
Protecting Virginia Snakeroot
Why Is It Protected?
This plant is rare in some places. In New York, it is an "endangered species." This means there are very few of these plants left. For a long time, people thought it was gone from New York. But it was found again in 1994!
Virginia snakeroot is also rare in Connecticut. There, it is a "species of special concern." This means it needs extra care to protect it. In Michigan, it is listed as "Threatened." This also means it needs protection to survive.
