Passion Flower - passiflora incarnata

About Passionflower

Passion flower is a drop-dead gorgeous plant that is also recognized as passion vines. It is a climbing shrub that produces enthralling and delicate flowers that evolves into a big oval fleshy fruit. Passion flower comes in 400 different varieties due to which some species of the genus express herbaceous while others express woody characteristics.

The plant has dark green leaves with fringed white flowers possessing pinkish-purple filaments. Passion flower plants can attain a height of 6 to 8 ft. From root to fruit, passion flower is capable of producing amazing medicinal benefits. Passion flower aids in reducing the overly aggressive activities of the brain by binding to the inhibitory neurotransmitters (GABA). This activity not only releases stress but also helps the person to get a good night’s sleep, thereby treating insomnia.

Passion flower also provides a helping hand in the management of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), opioid withdrawal symptoms, and in alleviating the nervousness prior to surgery. Passion flower facilitates the uptake of nutrition at the nervous level to gently rehabilitate the weakened nerves.

Passion flower encompasses various phytochemicals like flavonoids, indole alkaloids, maltol, vixetin, coumerin, umbelliferone, and chrysin.

Growing

Passion flower renders an exotic sight and just at a single glance, it evaporates all the hustles and bustles of life.

Passion flower can be grown indoors and outdoors. They are a frequent treat as they are a recurrent part of peripheral vision while driving or walking by the roads. Passion flower requires full to partial sun with at least four hours of exposure. They thrive in any well-drained rich soil with pH ranging from 6.1 to 7.5. They are grown in early spring and are fertilized until the onset of autumn.

Passion flowers hate the periods of drought so they require plenty of water supply and moist soil to prosper. For outdoor Passiflora, they are obliged to be taken under the protection of indoor aura during winter. However, the plant loses its ideal shape and becomes dormant when it is settled in the indoor frame but it quickly brightens up upon the advent of spring.

The seeds of passion flower are recommended to soak in water 24 hours before their broadcast. This helps in breaking the shell of the seed and accelerates the rate of germination.

The germination time of passion flower varies greatly as it is a highly diversified specie. For fresh seeds, the process occurs within two to three weeks whereas, for dried seeds, they may take up to four weeks of the span. While on the other hand, there are seeds that overly outstretch the process and sprout after good long forty-eight weeks.

Passion flower initiates the flowering process from mid to late summer and lures various pollinating insects to get their rewards. The pollination and fertilization result in large orange-yellow fruit bodies with seeds obscured inside them.

These seeds are responsible for further maintenance of seemingly endless lifecycle.

Harvesting

Passion flower is passionately harvested for its flowers, leaves, stems, and fruits.

The leaves and stems can be harvested any time of the year, provided the fact when they are grown (obviously!). The flowers are harvested from mid to late summer while the fruit is harvested when it turns yellow. The yellow-orange color and wrinkly skin of the fruit manifest the degree of its ripeness that usually occurs at the end of summer or maybe through winter.

The leaves, stems, and flowers can be cut by sharp scissors whereas the fruits can be twisted away from the vines by hands.

The leaves, stems, and flowers of the passion flower plant are tied with a string and hanged upside down to be air-dried for two weeks. The dried aerial parts are then crushed with fingers and stored in an airtight jar for later use.

The fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days to keep it fresh.

Usage

Passion flower plant can be used in various preparative forms to render the medicinal impacts.

Tincture- Infuse fresh or dried chopped passion flowers in grain alcohol for 4 to 6 weeks. Strain the liquid and place it in a dark and dry place.
Tea- Dried passion flowers are steeped with boiling water for 5 to 8 minutes to form a soothing tea.
Decoction- Dried aerial parts of the passion flower plant are utilized to formulate a decoction.
Salve- Dried passion flowers are used to make a calming salve.
Syrup- Fresh passion fruit or dried passion flowers are used to make a syrup.
Infused oil- Dried passion flowers are infused with either calendula oil or sandalwood oil for the calming effect.