Aristolochia clematitis | European Birthwort | asarabacca | 10_Seeds

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Here I offer seeds from Aristolochia clematitis, also known as European Birthwort, and asarabacca. This perennial grows to about 3 feet high and has beautiful heart shaped leaves. This is a larval host plant for many of the swallowtail butterflies including Southern Festoon, Spanish Festoon, Eastern Festoon, False Apollo, Dragon Swallowtail, Pipevine Swallowtail, Polydamas Swallowtail, Mylotes Cattleheart, and the Troidini which is a tribe of swallowtail butterflies that numbers about 135 different species. This plant was ingested by women during childbirth to help with contractions because the shape of the flowers reminded people of a fetus. Using a plant for what it reminds you of is not good sound medicine. Please do not use this plant for medicinal purposes. It is poisonous and cancer causing to humans, but it makes the butterflies toxic to birds and other predators. Other butterflies try to look like members of the Troidini tribe just so that other animals will leave them alone. USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9