Purple Passionflower

Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), also known as Maypop, is an herbaceous vine that climbs with axillary tendrils and sprawls along the ground on top of other plants, growing up to 25’ in length. Flowers are lavender in color, with the petals and sepals arranged in a fringe of wavy or crimped hair-like segments. The fruit of the passionflower is an orange-yellow berry with an edible pulp. Similar to other passion vines, purple passionflower propagates by root suckers. The name “Maypop” is derived from the hollow, yellow fruits that pop loudly when crushed. The fruits are readily consumed by birds and can even be made into jellies (Maypop jelly). It is also a larval host for several different butterfly species, including the Gulf Fritillary and Banded Hairstreak.