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Climber Wall Shrub

Aristolochia californica

A woody, deciduous climber that is not reliably hardy in the UK, with heart-shaped mid-green leaves. Cream and burgundy flowers, about 2-3cm long, are produced in winter and spring, followed by winged, green seed capsules

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Aristolochiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing, Spreading branched
Potentially harmful: TOXIC if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets (dogs): TOXIC if eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Aristolochia can be shrubs or herbaceous perennials, many climbing, usually with heart-shaped or ovate leaves. Distinctive flowers have an S-shaped calyx tube and no petals, and are may be white, yellow, brown or maroon, often mottled
Name status: Correct
Plant range: California

How to grow

Cultivation

Can be trained to climb a trellis or structure. Requires shade and ideally a frost-free environment

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by softwood or semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Conservatory and greenhouse
Climber and wall shrubs

Pruning

No pruning required. If pruning is necessary to restrict to allocated space, then prune in winter

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility

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