Here in Sacramento, the first sign of spring is a display of California dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia californica). The tiny flowers look like green rubber ducks, and appear on the plant’s leafless branches.
The display will go on for months, followed by the vine going into rapid growth mode to take advantage of the few months where it’s warm and the soil has enough moisture for growth. If their pollinators are present, the flowers will develop into large seed pods that hang on the vines.
In some years, pipevine swallowtail butterflies find the plants and we have a family of caterpillars, but most years the vines remain a secret and avoid defoliation by the voracious larvae.
The plant is easy enough to grow once established: not too much sun, and no supplemental water required once the vines have been in the ground for a year or two.
Aristolochia californica flowers
Aristolochia californica flowers
Aristolochia californica flowers