Description

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a creeping perennial vine with white, purple-tinged flowers and orange berries that grows to a height of up to 30 ft (9 m). First used by Native Americans and the Aztecs of Mexico as a sedative, passionflower has been a popular folk remedy for centuries in Europe and North America. Other names for passionflower include maypop, granadilla, passion vine, and apricot vine. The herb, which is generally used today to alleviate anxiety and insomnia, received its curious name from the Spanish conquistadors who over-ran Mexico and Peru in the sixteenth century. In the flowers of the vine, they saw various symbols of the Passion of Christ, which in Christian tradition refers to the period of time between the Last Supper and...