Passiflora
incarnata
American passionflower,
Maypop
Passionflower is thought to affect
the passions, perhaps because of its name, its showy, sweet-scented
flowers (ruled by Venus), and its twining habit.
It acts more
surely on the mind, though, and is mildly
sedating. In the US, it has historically been made into a tincture or tea drunk
for nervous anxiety, spasms, or insomnia(which some say puts it in Moon) and
is still used in Western Europe for these reasons. It has no addictive or narcotic
difficulties associated with it. The flowers of this beautiful
perennial climber are used in Ayurvedic medicine, and the whole
plant in Eclectic medicine. This plant grows like mad in the southeastern
US, where it is a native, and is the favorite food of many butterfly
caterpillars. It is one of the few non-tropical passifloras. Its fruits were
relished by the Algonquin Indians. Top
How
to grow passionflower. Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep
and use
bottom heat if starting them inside (an old heating pad placed under the flat
and set on medium works well). The seeds may take 30 or more days
to germinate, but they seem to do well if stored in the fridge before planting. Another method is letting
the seeds sit in a small amount
of orange juice until the juice ferments, about 4 days.
Then wash off the seeds and sow. They should germinate in a
week. Set the seedlings outside (get them used to the sun slowly, a few
hours a day) 12" apart in somewhat dry soil and full sun. Passionflower
can be grown outside as
far north as southern Illinois or Boston (there are reports it can be grown
outside even farther north). One or two is probably
more passionflower than you could ever use. It is okay to let
caterpillars eat the leaves (Gulf Coast fritillaries and Admiral butterflies
love them), because the plant will regrow with little
effect--vines can be 30 feet long in the South, 15 ft up north. Give it something to climb up, like a net, and make
sure that any trellis it's on is sturdily anchored; plant mass
is unexpectedly heavy. You can also try letting it trail. Once it's established,
you can get more plants from cuttings. General growing info Top
Passiflora incarnata
American passionflower
10
seeds $3.00
Uses in
Witchcraft & Magic:
Venus Herb
© 2004, 2013 Harold A. Roth; No reproduction without permission