Passiflora

Passion flowers are plants of the genus Passiflora. The plants are named for the passion of Christ, because the flower structures seemed symbolic of Jesus' scourging, crowning with thorns and crucifixion. Passifloras are native to tropical and sub-tropical America.

The members of this genus produce beautiful flowers that are extensively cultivated, even outside their natural range. Passion fruit, Passiflora edulis, is also cultivated for its fruit, and is extensively grown in the Caribbean and south Florida.

External links

• The Passiflora Society International, agency to promote and inform
• Botanical informaton
• Passiflora online
• Good bug page Passifloras are host plants to several butterfly species, including the Gulf Fritillary whose life cycle is pictured here
• Passiflora edulis / P. edulis flavicarpa Passifloraceae