Aristolochia watsonii --Watson's Pipevine--

Oddly appealing narrow purple-brown and yellowish inch long flowers. Desert vine, sprawling to 3 feet, with red-purple arrowhead-shaped leaves and tuberous roots that make it highly drought tolerant. Small plant is suited to rock gardens, and does not grow like other Aristolochias. Sun to part sun, very limited water and well draining soil - small plants are delicate and respond very badly to over-watering! Arizona and New Mexico native. Pollinated by flies, who are drawn by its musky scent, and a food plant of the pipevine swallowtail caterpillar. The compounds in its leaves are where the butterfly gets its distasteful toxins that protect the butterfly from predation. Sometimes called Indian root or Snake root from the legend that Native Americans used it to treat snakebite