Passiflora incarnata is commonly called maypop, purple passionflower, and true passionflower. It is a woody perennial deciduous tendril-forming vine in the passionflower family of Passifloraceae. Passiflora incarnata is native to the Midwest, East, and Southeast of the United States. Leaves are alternating and palmately shaped with 3 to 5 lobes connecting at the center and measure 2.5 to 6 inches in length. The plant has complete flowers that are 3 inches in diameter. Passiflora incarnata flowers have 5 purple petals and 5 purple sepals which resemble petals. White to purple corona filaments form a ring above the petals. The flower also has 5 yellowish green stamens and 3 lime green stigmas. Passiflora incarnata is a climbing plant that relies on other plants or structures for support. Plants grow up to 6 to 8ft in height with proper support, and sprawl along the ground without support, possibly forming a groundcover. Tendrils protrude from the base of leaves in search of support for the vine and are around 2 to 4 inches long. Fruits are yellow and oval shaped measuring 2 3inches long. Passiflora incarnata has multiple uses as medicine and as a food crop. The leaves, flowers, and fruit are edible. Juices can be made from the fruit. (Caution: consuming high amounts of raw leaves may expose the body to small amounts of cyanide). Medicinal teas are made out of the flower to battle anxiety and insomnia. P. incarnata enjoy frequent fertilizations, good support to climb on, and pruning during late winter/early spring before growth begins. Well-drained soil with high organic matter is an ideal medium to grow in. Soil should be kept moist but can occasionally become dry (idealing during winter). The plant enjoys full sun to partial shade. USDA plant hardiness zone 6a-11b.
Passiflora incarnata seeds should be pretreated with a light scarification from sandpaper or file which significantly reduces germination time as the seed coat is hard. After scarification, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 to 48 hours prior to planting. Plant the seeds ½ to 1 inch deep in a well draining potting mix. Plant the seeds at least ½ inch apart from each other to prevent overcrowding. Keep in high moisture and humidity but make sure the soil does not stay soaking wet. Ideal germination temperature is between 60°F to 85°F. Germination typically takes 10-21 days with pretreated seeds. Seeds without pretreatment may take months to germinate. Even with optimal conditions, germination may be slow and sporadic.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING DISCLAIMER:
All packages will be shipped with basic customs information such as; HS codes, VAT numbers, and properly labeled contents. Unfortunately, The Garden of Set is unable to provide phytosanitary certificates for orders at this time. It is the buyer’s responsibility to know local laws regarding the import of plants, seeds, and plant products into their country. It is also up to the buyer to provide any other customs forms or information required to import plants into their country. If packages get stopped by customs, The Garden of Set will not be able to provide a refund for the purchase. Most of the time packages make it to their destinations just fine, this is for the small minority of packages that get stopped without having all the proper customs information required by the country of import. Purchase at your own discretion.