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Passiflora incarnata
It is a fast growing perennial vine with climbing or trailing stems. One of the hardiest species of passionflower. . Flowers have five bluish-white petals. They exhibit a white and purple corona, a structure of fine appendages between the petals and stamens. The large flower is typically arranged in a ring above the petals and sepals. They are pollinated by insects such as bumblebees and carpenter bees, and are self-sterile. The flower normally blooms in July.
I have found two very different information about its habitat: 1) that is native to the West Indies and cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant because of its extraordinarily beautiful and interesting flowers and 2) it is a common wildflower in the southern United States. Both sources are listed in references.
Other names: maypop, purple passionflower, true passionflower, wild apricot, and wild passion vine,
Spotted on Apr 9, 2011
Submitted on Apr 5, 2013
2 Comments
It is, I was always amazed with it when I was a child. In Croatian we call it Christ flower, meaning that's probably the most divine of all flowers :)
What a beautiful flower!