Brazilian Dutchman's Pipe

Aristolachia Gigantea has 16" x 12" foul, carrion smelling flowers although this  site calls them fragrant!  It attracts flies with its smell but the inward facing hairs prevent the fly from leaving until it has dusted off some pollen which allows the hairs to relax so it can escape.  The vine is easily grown from seed or cuttings but is a threat to pipeline swallow tail butterflies which mistake it for a similar pipeline vine.  They lay their eggs but the caterpillars are poisoned by the vine.  This was in the Bristol Botanic Garden greenhouse where there was a bee and pollinator festival.  

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