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Aristolochia serpentaria

Virginia Snakeroot

Family AristolochiaceaeGenus Aristolochia

Also published as Endodeca serpentaria. You are in the right place.

Leaves divided into three arrow-shaped leaflets on fine green stalks, held flat above a floor of brown leaf litter.
LeafFritz Flohr ReynoldsCC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
rhizomatous geophytePlants of the World Online

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Source: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Worth knowing

  • Virginia snakeroot is a larval food plant of the pipevine and polydamas swallowtails. In Cherokee medicine its root was chewed and spat onto snake bites, and in 18th-century England it was said to cure the ague. Wikipedia: Aristolochia serpentaria

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  5. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  6. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    4/12 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 4 run on after germination.

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

33% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Aristolochia p. 101Public domain
Show the original text
Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae). A. serpentaria had extended germination as shown by 70-40-70(1/6)-40-70(1/6) and 40-70-40-70(4/12)-40-70(4/12). Germination is hypogeal. A true leaf develops in the 5th w after germination. Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 all rotted. GA-3 should be tried.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Aristolochia p. 101. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  4. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  5. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    1/6 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 3 run on after germination.

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

17% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Aristolochia p. 101Public domain
Show the original text
Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae). A. serpentaria had extended germination as shown by 70-40-70(1/6)-40-70(1/6) and 40-70-40-70(4/12)-40-70(4/12). Germination is hypogeal. A true leaf develops in the 5th w after germination. Seed DS 6 m at 70 or 40 all rotted. GA-3 should be tried.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Aristolochia p. 101. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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