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Maypop Wikimedia Commons
Passifloraceae

Maypop

Passiflora incarnata

Faith and passion.

Family
Passifloraceae
Genus
Passiflora
Native to
Southeastern United States
Bloom season
Summer, Fall
Type
vine
Height
6-25 ft
Sunlight
full sun to partial shade
Soil
well-drained, sandy to loamy
Water
moderate
Hardiness
5-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The common name 'maypop' comes from the loud popping sound the hollow fruits make when stepped on.
  • Spanish missionaries named the passionflower because they saw symbols of Christ's Passion in its flower parts: the corona as the crown of thorns, the five stamens as five wounds, and the three stigmas as three nails.
  • It is the hardiest passionflower species and can survive temperatures down to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit when dormant.
  • The fruit is edible with a sweet-tart tropical flavor and was a favorite food of the Cherokee, who called it 'ocoee.'
  • Passionflower extract is approved in Germany as a sedative herbal medicine for nervous restlessness and insomnia.

Color meanings

0

faith

1

passion

2

crucifixion symbolism

3

spiritual devotion

Uses

  • edible fruit
  • herbal sedative
  • ornamental vine
  • butterfly garden