This vine, native to the southeastern United States, requires a warm climate for successful cultivation. The striking white to lavender flowers feature a corona (the extra whorl of long threads inside the petals) and an androgynophore (the stalk that elevates the sexual parts above the perianth). European authors explained the number and shape of the floral organs as being symbolically associated with the crucifixion of Jesus, hence the common name. The many-seeded green fruits, sometimes over 2.5 " long, are edible and tasty.

Preparations of the flowering tops are used medicinally as a mild sedative, anxiolytic (anti-anxiety medicine) and antispasmodic, and are said to relieve tension headaches. Though traditional herbal experience values passionflower for relief of insomnia, few clinical studies in humans have been done; a number of studies using rodents support its anxiolytic effect. One recent study in humans finds it equivalent in efficacy to the anti-anxiety drug oxazepam but causing less impairment of job performance; another suggests that it may be a useful adjunct to the treatment of opiate withdrawal. The related species P. edulis Sims, cultivated for its edible fruit, appears to have no medicinal effects.

Selected References

Akhondzadeh, S., L. Kashani, M. Mobaseri, S. H. Hosseini, S. Nikzad, and M. Khani. 2001. Passionflower in the treatment of opiates withdrawal: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. J Clin Pharm Ther 26:369-373.

Akhondzadeh, S., H. R. Naghavi, M. Vazirian, A. Shayeganpour, H. Rashidi, and M. Khani. 2001. Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam. J Clin Pharm Ther 26:363-367.

Dhawan, K., S. Kumar, and A. Sharma. 2001. Anti-anxiety studies of extracts of Passiflora incarnata Linnaeus. J Ethnopharmacol 78:165-170.

Dhawan, K., S. Kumar, and A. Sharma. 2001. Anxiolytic activity of aerial and underground parts of Passiflora incarnata. Fitoterapia 72:922-926.

Dhawan, K., S. Kumar, and A. Sharma. 2001. Comparative biological activity study on Passiflora incarnata and P. edulis. Fitoterapia 72:698-702.

May, P. G., and E. E. Spears. 1988. Andromonoecy and variation in phenotypic gender of Passiflora incarnata (Passifloraceae). Am J Bot 75:1830-1841.

Soulimani, R., C. Younos, S. Jarmouni, D. Bousta, R. Misslin, and F. Mortier. 1997. Behavioural effects of Passiflora incarnata L. and its indole alkaloid and flavonoid derivatives and maltol in the mouse. J Ethnopharmacol 57:11-20.

Vanderplank, J. 2000. Passion flowers, 3rd ed. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA.