purple passionflower

Passiflora incarnata

The purple passionflower is a beautiful flower with unique shapes and colors. It has lovely purple petals and a special fruit that many animals enjoy eating.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The purple passionflower has incredibly intricate, star-like flowers with white petals, purple-pink filaments in a wavy corona, and distinct yellow stamens and pistils. This fast-growing vine uses curly tendrils to climb, often covering fences and other plants.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderMalpighialesFamilyPassifloraceaeGenusPassiflora

Photo: Hans-Simon HoltzbeckerPublic domain · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗

purple passionflower

Interesting facts

Its flower's parts symbolize elements of the Christian passion story!

Some people brew its leaves into a soothing herbal tea!

The delicious, tangy fruit is packed with healthy vitamins!

This amazing plant can grow up to 20 feet in a single season!

Special abilities

Purple passionflower can sprout curly tendrils that wrap around supports, helping it climb high to reach sunlight.

This plant contains compounds that have a calming effect, traditionally used to help people relax and sleep.

Its large, complex flowers are perfectly shaped to attract big bees, ensuring efficient pollen transfer.

It acts as a nursery for Gulf Fritillary butterfly caterpillars, providing their essential food source.

Measurements & details

Height: 300-900 cm
Spread: 100-300 cm
Flower Size: 5-9 cm
Bloom Season: Summer to fall
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

Eaten by

Gulf Fritillary butterfly

Heliconius pascoensis

Larvae munch its leaves to grow.

Pollinates

Eastern carpenter bee

Xylocopa virginica

Large bees are ideal for its unique flowers.

Pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

Bees gather nectar, helping spread pollen.

Eats

American robin

Turdus migratorius

Birds enjoy its ripe, sweet fruits.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Fruit Bearing

Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.

Agricultural

This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Grassland

Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Rapid Growing

Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

Also known as

Passionflower

Collections

Plants

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch the flowers without asking an adult.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify purple passionflower?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How tall is purple passionflower?

300-900 cm

How wide does purple passionflower spread?

100-300 cm

How big are the flowers on purple passionflower?

5-9 cm

When does purple passionflower bloom?

Summer to fall

Is purple passionflower edible?

Yes

Is purple passionflower toxic?

Mild