Care-free vines: Dutchman's pipe

The vine, Dutchman's pipe, gets its common name from its curious eight-centimetre-long (three-inch-long), brownish-yellow, U-shaped blooms that look like miniature versions of an old-fashioned smoker's pipe. Unfortunately, the charming flowers are often hidden behind the 25-centimetre-wide (10-inch-wide), heart-shaped leaves that are arranged in dense, overlapping layers, like shingles.

• The vine is favoured because its lush growth  makes it useful for framing attractive views or to block less desirable ones.
• It's a great porch vine, providing shade in summertime.

But be prepared to accommodate it. Growing at least 4.5 to 9 metres (15 to 30 feet) in length.  This vigorous vine needs plenty of room and a sturdy support to bear its weight.

Best options for support:

• The best options are strong wires strung over masonry or a wrought-iron trellis.
• If you're growing the vine on a porch, run wires between screw-eye bolts fastened into framing.
• If you use a wooden trellis, choose one made of a rot-resistant wood, such as cedar, because the dense growth will hold moisture against its support.

1. Plant Dutchman's pipe in spring.
2. A site with partial shade will suit this adaptable woodland native.
3. Dig a roomy hole and add a five centimetre (two inch) layer of organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, compost or leaf mould to improve drainage, as this vine doesn't like soggy soil.
4. Bury the vine's stem no deeper than it grew in the nursery container.
5. Fill the hole, water it well and then mulch. Water as needed to keep the roots moist through the first season after planting.
6. Irrigate established plants as needed to keep soil from drying out during droughts, because Dutchman's pipe grows poorly in dry conditions.
7. Do not be misled by slow growth the first couple of years after planting this vine.
8. Once established, Dutchman's pipe needs heavy pruning at least twice in the summer to keep it within bounds.
9. Pinching vine tips during the growing season encourages branching, leading to bushier growth.
10. Tender shoots may be visited by sap-sucking aphids or spider mites. Knock them off plants with a strong stream of water from a hose.

Often there's hardly room for one vine, let alone several, but if you want more, gather and sow seeds in the fall.

• Keep seeds at 4°C (40°F) for three months before planting. Or take 10-centimetre-long (four-inch-long) softwood cuttings in midsummer when growth is mature but not yet woody.
• Apply rooting hormone to the cut, insert five centimetres (two inches) deep into moist soil, and provide bottom warmth and partial shade until rooted.

ATTRIBUTES: Bold foliage and yellow pipe-shaped blooms; for shade, privacy

SEASON OF INTEREST: Spring to fall

TYPE OF VINE: Woody perennial; climbs by twining

QUIRKS: Needs ample water, but dislikes soggy soil

GOOD NEIGHBOURS: A stand-alone plant, or a background for perennials

WHERE IT GROWS BEST: In partial shade and moist soil enriched with organic matter

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: So vigorous it can crush a trellis that is not sturdy

RENEWING PLANTS: Lives years; if needed, cut back in spring

CRITTER RESISTANCE: Good, except for aphids or spider mites

SOURCE: Bedding plants

DIMENSIONS: 4.5-9 m (15-30 ft) long

So if you are in need of lost of cover that is hardy, offers shade or framing, as long as you remember to support the structure, Dutchman's pipe is worth your consideration.