Dutchman's PipeAristolochia macrophylla
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A native of central and eastern North America, Dutchman's pipe, Aristolochia macrophylla , is a climbing vine and part of the birthwort family. The vine is planted often as a screen or cultivated as a porch vine because it is easy and quick to grow. It is distinguished by its large heart-shaped (up to 12 inches in diameter) leaves and yellowish or purplish tubular flowers that resemble traditional Meerschaum smoking pipes.
One curious attribute of the flowers is that they give off an aroma reminiscent of rotting meat. Surprisingly, this smell isn't meant to ward things away, but to attract the plant's key pollinators, insects and flies.
The flowers act like a trap of sorts; after the insect has entered the tube it is unable to exit until pollination occurs. The tube is lined with stiff downward-pointing hairs that only relax if the insect has brought pollen from another flower. If the insect is carrying pollen, the anthers, which are the male sexual organs, uncover and load the insect with a fresh supply of pollen before it leaves.
