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Virginia Snakeroot

Aristolochia serpentaria

Found in dry to moist forests, perhaps more restricted to moist situations over acidic substrate, ranging into drier situations over calcareous or mafic substrates. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

20
Good

Native to Mississippi (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height
1.5–2 feet
Spread
1–2 feet
Light
Deep shade, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 1.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 44 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
May to June
Fruiting season
June to July

Recorded in 47 Mississippi counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Mississippi. Shared habitat, not food. 89 animals.

All wildlife of Mississippi

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

1CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including MS

Genus host records with ranges including MS · Endodeca

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Aristolochia

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Aristolochiaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5a–9b
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower color
Brown/copper, cream, yellow, purple or red
Fruit begins
June
Fruit ends
July

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Aristolochia serpentaria; Serpent Birthwort; Turpentine Root

Conservation status

Mississippi rankSNR
Global rankG4 [G5]
MS statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Sources