How to get a flowering vine to flower: Gardening Q&A with George Weigel

The flowers of Dutchman's pipevine are shaped like little curved pipes. (George Weigel)
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on August 27, 2014 at 9:30 AM, updated August 27, 2014 at 9:31 AM

Q: I've got a Dutchman's pipevine that doesn't flower. What do I feed it so the vine will bloom?

A: First, I'd check to be sure you're not actually getting at least a few flowers that are hidden. The big heart-shaped leaves of this native vine (Aristolochia macrophylla) often hide the maroon, pipe-shaped flowers.

Assuming you're getting no flowers, it may not automatically be lack of fertilizer causing the dearth of blooms.

Dutchman's pipevines aren't the easiest plants to grow, at least not in the wrong site. They tend to favor sites such as a partly shaded stream bank or a damp woodland that gives them dappled light. They aren't big fans of dry soil or the hot blasts of summer drought.

Those kind of stresses could affect flowering. So could shade that's just too deep.

If none of that checks out, it's worth a soil test to see if anything is out whack nutritionally.

Pipevines are only moderate feeders, so I doubt that lack of soil nutrition is the answer. But if it is, the test will tell you exactly what the deficiency is and recommend what kind of fertilizer to use in what amounts.

Do-it-yourself Penn State soil test kits are available for $9 or $10 at most garden centers or online at Penn State's soil testing lab

Dutchman's pipevine, by the way, is the favored host plant for the pipevine swallowtail butterfly.