Worth knowing:
The Dutchman’s Pipe is a fast-growing climbing plant that doesn’t need too much light and can easily be cultivated at home. Its trademarks are the heart-shaped leaves and the huge purple-brown-white flowers. The plant also has a unique way of pollination: it attracts insects through an aromatic scent, lures them inside the blossoms and provides an escape route through hairy flower tubes, where the insects catch the pollen with their wings.
Natural Location:
The natural habitat of the Dutchman’s Pipe is in South and Middle America.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. Plant the skinny seeds about 0,5 cm deep into moist potting compost, put just a little compost earth on top and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 25°C and 30°C (for example near a heater) and keep the earth moist, but not wet. Usually it takes two to five weeks until germination. Provide the small plants with a climbing aid, for instance small wooden sticks. During the first six weeks after proliferation the sprouts should not stand in full sunlight. With a height of about 15 to 20 cm the seedlings can be carefully planted into a bigger pot. See that the fine roots don’t get damaged while planting and provide it with a bigger climbing aid.
Place:
Only during summer the Dutchman’s Pipe should be kept in a half-shaded spot either indoors or outside - otherwise it prefers bright and sunny places.
Care:
Due to its rapid growth the Dutchman’s Pipe needs to be watered consistently and penetratingly, but without waterlogging. To prevent pest infestation the plant should be sprayed regularly with lime-deficient water. During blossoming, from April until September, it is advisable to give fertilizer for tub plants every four weeks.
During the winter:
The Dutchman’s Pipe is not frost-resistant and likes to be kept in bright and warm spot during winter. Keep watering the plant regularly, but always let the upper layer of earth get dry in between the watering periods. Due to the dry air of the heater in the winter, it is most important to spray the plant regularly. During spring you may prune back the sprouts of your Dutchman’s Pipe until 30 cm.
Picture credits:
- © © Hectonichus - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Forest & Kim Starr - CC-BY-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
- © Forest & Kim Starr - CC-BY-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
- © Forest & Kim Starr - CC-BY-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
- © Hectonichus - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
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