Passionflower is a rapidly growing, trailing or climbing perennial or herbaceous perennial. It is a member of the passion vine family (Passifloraceae). It is native to the southeastern and south-central parts of the United States, as well as Bermuda. The genus name, Passiflora, relates to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In the 15th to 16th century, Roman Catholic priests in Latin America used parts of the flower to symbolize the Passion of Christ. The species epithet is Latin for “flesh-colored,” but the reference is obscure. Passionflower is a rapid-growing, trailing vine that climbs by axillary tendrils. It is woody in warm winter climates but dies to the ground in cold winter climates. It grows in average-fertility, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Although this vine is tolerant of drought, a loose mulch can help to keep the roots cool. Under optimum growing conditions it spreads by root suckers to cover large areas. This is the hardiest of the passionflower vines, and it does not have to climb in order to produce flowers. If a bushy growth habit is preferred, pinch the vines back after the first growing season. This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer. The showy flowers and edible fruit make it an excellent choice for an edible, an arbor, pergola, trellis, fence or wall near a patio, where its showy flowers can be enjoyed. This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. The roots can spread aggressively, and in poorly drained wet soils root rot can occur, especially in the winter.
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗Reconciled to full toolbox: matched by slug to slug 'passiflora-incarnata'. Identity (id/common/scientific name) preserved from the original 87-plant Hunnicutt set; attribute data refreshed from the 73-attribute toolbox scrape.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
6 - Vine (vertical)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Climbing; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Palmasect
Leaf margin
Lobed; Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are three-lobed and dark green above light below toothed with a pair of prominent glands on the leaf stalk. It has a yellow fall color.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Blue; Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Edible; Fragrant; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Crown
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
White with purple crown fringed flowers having 10 white petals and sepals and a central crown of pinkish-purple filaments. The flowers bloom in summer and are fragrant. Flowers bloom from May to July.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Orange
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
Fleshy, leathery egg-shaped, fruits called maypops appear from July to October and mature to a yellowish color with brown seeds in fall. They "pop" when crushed.
Bark color
Green
Bark detail
Its bark is green and smooth and coarsely grained.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central & E. U.S.A., Bermuda
Distribution
AL , AR , DC , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Wildlife value
This plant supports provides nectar for pollinators and is a larval host plant for several butterflies. The Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) appear from January-November in the north and throughout the year in southern Florida and Texas. Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) has four broods from February-December in the souther and three broods from April-October in the north. Zebra Heliconian (Heliconius charithonia) appears all year in Florida and Texas and appears in other northern states during warm months. Hummingbirds and butterflies nectar from the flowers in the summer. Its fruit may be eaten by songbirds, small mammals and some larger mammals.
Ripened maypops can be eaten fresh off the vine or made into jelly.
Uses (ethnobotany)
It was used medicinally by Native Americans. They would poultice the root to be used for boils, cuts, bruises, earaches, and inflammation. It was also cooked in teas that were used to sooth nerves.