Native Spotlight: Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata)

This week’s Native Spotlight is hard to miss! Passion Flower, also known as maypop, is a native climbing vine known for its incredibly distinctive flowers, vigorous growth, and late-summer fruit.

With the right structure to climb, Passion Flower can quickly bring color and interest to fences, arbors, trellises, and other areas of the landscape.

Light: Full sun

Flowers: Large, distinctive blooms featuring an intricate circular fringe surrounded by shades of purple, blue and white. Blooms from early summer through early fall.

Soil: Loose, well-draining soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH.

Zones: 6–11

Size: Vines can grow 10–40 feet long depending on the amount of room available to climb.

Maintenance: Provide a sturdy trellis, fence, or arbor for support. Shelter the vine from harsh winter winds in colder areas. In early spring, trim spent stems back to the main vine to encourage new flowers and fruit.

Landscape Use: Passion Flower is a great choice for training over sturdy structures to create a colorful arbor or shaded area. Its fast growth can also help soften fences and walls or create a seasonal privacy screen.

Beyond its unusual appearance, Passion Flower is a favorite among several pollinators and produces edible fruit later in the season.

If you’re looking for a native plant that brings a little something different to the landscape, Passion Flower certainly delivers.

Stop by Carson’s Nurseries to explore our native plant selection and find the right plants for your landscape.