Teresa Bristow

Although I have read and heard the word ‘Maypop’ many times, I did not really know what it was referring to. Imagine my surprise to discover it was one of the names given to the purple passionflower growing wild behind our home.

Once I discovered and identified the vine, I started to notice its growth habit and how quickly it spread, with little sprouts popping up several feet from the original plant. It was time to do a little research.

The passionflower (Passiflora) is a fast growing, herbaceous perennial vine that climbs with tendrils, and has alternating leaves with three lobes. This vine likes plenty of sun with well-draining soil and can be drought tolerant. It will quickly cover a fence, trellis or arbor but also has a tendency to climb shrubs, small trees or any other structure that provides support.

However, it is the large and showy purple or pink and white flowers that bloom in late summer or early fall that make this vine so special.

In the 15th to 16th century, Roman Catholic priests in Latin America used parts of the flower, including the petals, rays and sepals, to symbolize the Passion (the suffering and death) of Jesus Christ. The flower’s five petals and five petal-like sepals represented the 10 apostles who remained faithful to Jesus throughout the Passion. It has been suggested that the circle of rays above the petals represent the crown of thorns worn by Jesus on the day of His death.

There are two butterfly caterpillars, the Gulf Fritillary and the Zebra Longwing butterflies, that feed exclusively on the leaves of the passionflower vines as their primary food source. Both the Gulf Fritillary and the Zebra Longwing caterpillars are orange with black spikes, although the pattern and placement vary greatly.

The general growth habit, as well as the large and beautiful flowers, could make the passionflower vine (or Maypop) an excellent addition to your landscape or butterfly garden.