What's the Secret to growing Aristolochia tomentosa???

Hi, everybody--

Need your thoughts, please?!

I bought a potted wooly pipevine last fall at the native plant nursery here and over-wintered it in the pot.

Now it's green and has some leaves but doesn't seem to be growing much at all. ---Repotted it in a pot about 16 inches across and 16 inches deep in a sunny space.... I fertilized it with Miracle Gro Garden Fertilizer--maybe the wrong thing?

I thought these things were rampant growers and hard to kill. But maybe not? Any secrets to share?

I want the swallowtails to come!!

Here it is a month ago, and it's still the same size...

tabasco-
Howdy! Well...in my neck of the woods the PST's don't like this that much. They'll eat it but.....they much prefer the Aristolchia elegans or Calico flower. A durier might be hardier where you are.
Anyway! To answer your question...yes, your growth looks normal. Not to worry.

~Adrienne

Oh, thanks. Good to hear about your experience.

I will look for the other ones and see which ones the BFs go to the most.

T-
keep me posted...You might want to search these forums because I know others have talked about this. For instance...I think I remember that the Pipevine swallowtails wont go to A.elegans....so there you go.

~Adrienne

Ah, the secret to grow a. tomentosa is to send it down to south Texas :o) heh heh!!!

Actually, don't know...I just got a small plant in trade last week and planted it...so time will tell...but will say all the others are doing wonderfully!

~ Cat

(-: Well, I tried to search but about 10 million hits came up so I guess I'll just send it down to you TPP and you can make it grow!!

I think maybe it needs a soil with a different PH than what we have but I don't know what it should be There isn't really much written about how to grow them that I can find, anyway....

Woohoo...if you're serious let me know...the pipevines will appreciate it here. If you're not serious...then I do hope it starts to grow for you...perhaps give it more time. Unless it's like the a. fimbriata which doesn't grow very tall?

~ Cat

Hey Tabasco-
what about posting in the Ohio gardening section? They might be able to give you some more specific answers. In the meantime
get yourself a nice vigorous pipevine. The cat's that come to it are cool to look at and fun to raise. Their cocoons are awesome too!
~Adrienne

Well, I thought this one would be vigorous! But I'm going to get the Durior too. How many will I need, do you think? I know the cats are hungry critters.

Sorry TPP, I was just kidding about sending it to Texas! Maybe next time!

t-
It depends how much "traffic" you get. I have 2 mature plants and then 3 "starter" plants. I usually have to go begging to the neighbors for food after the Poly's are done with it.

~Adrienne

Well, I'd better get some more. Although we do have aristolachia serpentaria in our woods and the ranger told me that is the primary host plant here in Ohio. I'm talking about the Pipevine Swallowtail, now. Is that what you are talking about, asafla?

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1350&chosen_state=39*Ohio

I will ask the Ohio Lepidopterists Society about that, though.

T-
No, for me it's the Polydamus Swallowtails. They don't like A. elegans and thats what I have the most of.

Adrienne