Richmond birdwing vine — Pararistolochia praevenosa

Pararistolochia praevenosa

Host plant for butterflies and insects Shelter for wildlife

$8.00

In stock and ready for local pickup or delivery

Pickup from Worongary or delivery across the Gold Coast and nearby areas. Delivery options are shown at checkout.

Plant profile

At a glance

The essentials for finding the right garden position.

Mature size: Height: climbing 10 m+ · Width: variable with support
Light: Part shade, Full shade
Water: Moist
Soil: Loamy, Clay
Drainage: Well-drained • Moderately drained
Vegetation type: Rainforest, Wet Eucalypt
Plant lifespan: Long-lived perennial
Plant form: Climbers

Plant ratings

A quick guide to this plant’s value for wildlife and the garden.

Bird food value
Host plant value
Pollinator value
Shelter & habitat value
Flower display
Garden resilience

About this plant

A large native rainforest climber grown above all for its ecological importance: it is the primary larval food plant of the Richmond birdwing butterfly. Its vigorous climbing habit and unusual flowers suit a habitat-focused garden with substantial support.

Image credits:
Mature image: Greg Tasney via iNaturalist — CC BY-SA 4.0
Feature image: Peter Woodard (Poyt448) via Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0
Adult male Richmond birdwing: Dr Don Sands / CSIRO, via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 3.0
Richmond birdwing caterpillar: Pawel Zborowski / CSIRO, via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 3.0

More plant details

Garden uses: Butterfly habitat garden, rainforest garden, pergola or strong trellis, restoration planting and wildlife corridor.
Wildlife value: Not grown as a bird-food plant. The primary larval food plant for the Richmond birdwing butterfly in south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales. Flowers are specialised and pollinated by small flies rather than functioning as a broad nectar resource. A mature vine creates dense vertical cover and habitat through the shrub and canopy layers.
Flowering and fruiting: Unusual tubular brownish to purplish flowers are followed by ribbed capsules containing numerous seeds.
Growth habit: Large woody rainforest climber capable of reaching high into supporting vegetation; allow substantial vertical space.
Cautions: Requires strong support and plenty of room. Do not confuse it with introduced Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia elegans), which is toxic to Richmond birdwing larvae.