Passiflora Lutea

Passiflora Lutea

This unique flower has been on my mind lately. I’ve long had a fascination with plants that produce flowers in multiples of five. For example, the five Petunias on my porch, or the five roses in my garden. Just recently a friend commented “By the time you wake up, you’ll have something new to look at”. He was right. On Monday morning, new flowers had emerged.Conditions Comments: This climbing or trailing vine has greenish-yellow flowers, that give way to purple or black berries. Wide, shallowly lobed leaves with entire margins turn an attractive yellow in fall. This is a major food plant for several species of butterfly larvae.This is a major food plant for several species of butterfly larvae. The pollen of this species is the only known larval foodstuff of the oligolectic (and possibly monolectic) Passionflower Bee, Anthemurgus passiflorae (RESLIT 2840).

Plant

Yellow passionflower is often good for butterfly gardens, as it is a host for Gulf fritillaries, julia butterflies (Dryas julia), and zebra longwings (Heliconius charitonius). It is also the only pollen source used by an unusual specialist bee, Anthemurgus passiflorae, which is the sole member of its genus; this rare bee is unusual in that despite its obligate relationship with the plant (oligolecty), it rarely pollinates it.This vine is an important wildlife plant, attracting bees, butterflies, birds, and mammals while being resistant to damage by deer. It is happy in a container, will grow on a trellis or fence or sprawl on the ground, and is at home in a butterfly or pollinator garden. In cold areas, containers may need to be brought indoors over the winter. This plant is much better behaved in the garden than P. incarnata.

It isn’t just a GABA deficiency. What can be more helpful is pairing passionflower with motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) which is a bitter nervine, helping to enhance digestion, calm the nerves, and improve sleep. Having a bitter nervine in the formula can enhance digestion and improve bowel function. Many anxious menopausal women often have constipation. These other aspects can be a part of the picture that GABA might not address when used alone.angle off the central veins. The three primary veins terminate just slightly past the leaf margin. Leaves, from 2½” to 6” wide and 2″ to 4½” long, may be strongly mottled with irregular lighter green areas, but tend to become more uniform in color with maturity. Leaves are generally spaced from one to two inches apart along the stems, with spacing decreasing in brighter light. Multi-stemmed plants in bright light can have a dense layer of leaves floating above the stems. (Source: anps.org)