Passion flower
(Passiflora incarnata)
Also Called: Maypops, passion vine, purple passion flower.
Description: A woody, hairy, climbing
vine.
The stems, from 10 to 30 feet long, climb by means of axillary tendrils.
The alternate, serrate leaves are palmately 3- to 5-lobed.
Solitary, axillary, white flowers with a purple, blue, or pink calyx crown
bloom from may to July.
The fruit is an edible, many-seeded berry (maypop) almost as
large as a chicken egg.
Parts Used: Plant, flower.
Habitat: Passion flower grows wild in the southern U.S., from Virginia and Florida westward to Missouri and Texas. It is also cultivated in cooler climates.
Properties and Uses: Antispasmodic, diaphoretic, sedative.
Passion flower
is most commonly used for nervous conditions such as insomnia, restlessness,
hysteria, and nervous headache.
An effective but gentle sedative and painkiller which will also reduce blood
pressure.
Normally, it is used as part of
a prolonged treatment and in the form of professionally prepared medications.
The herb was traditionally used
by the Houmas in Louisiana as a blood tonic.
The Mayans regarded the crushed plant as helpful for swellings and the decoction
for ringworm.
It was first described by a European botanist in the 1780s and by the 19th century
had joined the herbal repertoire, initially as a remedy for epilepsy and later
as a cure for insomnia.
Passion flower is widely used in over-thecounter products for anxiety and nervous tension and is often combined with valerian or hops.
Preparation and Dosage: Use professionally prepared medications.
Tincture: Take 15 to 60 drops in water, as needed. For restlessness in children,
give 3 to 10 drops in water every 30 minutes until results are obtained.
An infusion of the dried herb can also be helpful for period pain or tension
headaches, and can be supportive for a number of other nervous conditions such
as irritable bowel syndrome and irregular heart beats.
Passion flower takes its name not from any effect it may have on the emotions, but from the religious symbolism of its flowers: the three stigmas were taken to represent the nails of the Crucifixion, the five anthers were Christ's five wounds, while the ten petals represented the Apostles present at the time (Peter and Judas Iscariot having absented themselves).....!
