Passiflora incarnata

Vine, with three lobed leaves. Leaves larger than that of P. lutea and not mottled. Leaf lobes ovate to lanceolate or oblong to lanceolate. Passiflora species have tendrils that arise from the petiole bases (in the axils), unlike Vitaceae family members, whose tendrils arise from opposite the stem of the leaf attachment point or Cucurbitaceae whose tendrils arise lateral to the leaf.

Easily propagated by divisions of container grown plants or by cuttings taken from the rhizome during the growing season. This vine makes a handsome ornamental but should be grown in pot as it spread vigorously by rhizomes and can overtake a small planting.

The Acadian French name for passiflora incarnata is "liane de grenade," meaning literally "vine of the hand grenade." This name refers to the English common name "maypop." The name "grenade is also used in traditional French for the fruit of the pomegranate (Holmes 1990). The genus name Passiflora refers to the flower which is thought to resemble the passion of Christ. It grows in old fields, along roadsides and streams, in and on the edge of open woods and prairie remnants of Louisiana and east Texas. The Indians of Virginia cultivated this vine for its fruit (Medsger 1966) . The maypop is very palatable and has been used to make jellies, sherbets, and summer drinks.

Fields, roadsides, and thickets, fence rows, open woods.