Passiflora incarnata

passion vine, maypop, purple passion flower

Passifloraceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

vine

Size:

Stems 3-10 ft long, sprawling and scrambling over other vegetation.

Life Span:

short-lived perennial

Flower Color:

blue,purple

Fruit Color:

yellow,green

Phenology:

Deciduous, winter dormant. Blooms spring to fall.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Showy Fruits, Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Given the proper support this plant makes an excellent climbing vine hedge.

Considerations:

This plant spreads via stoloniferous rhizomes just beneath the ground surface. In areas with loose sand or mulch it can spread like wildflower sprouting up at some distance away from the mother plant. Its ability to climb using tendrils can make it a problem for slow growing bushes.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---- to ---- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars, Birds

Purple passionflower is larval host plant for numerous butterfly species, including Gulf Fritillary ( Agraulis vanillae ) and Zebra Longwing ( Heliconius charithonia ), the state butterfly of Florida. It also is host to the Crimson Patch Longwing ( Heliconius erato ), Red-banded hairstreak ( Calycopis cecrops )and Julia Heliconian ( Dryas iulia ) butterflies.





Pollinated by bees.

The young tendrils of purple passionvine are eaten by wild turkey.  Wildlife eat the fruits.

Native Habitats:

Disturbed, brushy areas or disturbed upland hardwood forest, sandhill and scrub.