Passionflower

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Passionflower / Passíflora / is a genus of creeping, heat-loving plants of the Passionflower family, which bloom in yellow, blue, red and many other colors. The popular names of the passion flower are martyr, clock, the flower of passion and passion.

The creeping vine reaches 10 m in length. The passion flower has pinnate, deeply dissected leaves. The stems have simple, unbranched whiskers located in the axils of the leaves. The flowers of the plant are solitary, up to 10 cm in diameter, with a light aroma. The fruit of the passion flower is an orange grain with an ovoid shape.

The origin of the flower is disputed by South America, Australia, Asia and Fr. Madagascar. Passionflower is found in California and Florida, in South America and Australia, in the Mediterranean parts of Europe, in China and India.

It can also be grown in Bulgaria, as long as favorable conditions for its growth are created. The most suitable are the southwestern and eastern parts of the country, as the flower is viewed mainly in pots.

History of the passion flower

The passion flower was declared a miracle flower by Giacomo Bosio, a 17th-century monk-scientist. According to him, the seventy-two stamens in the crown of the flower symbolize the number of thorns in the crown of Christ. The abundant beautiful leaves are in the shape of the tip of a spear piercing Christ, while the underside of the leaves is marked with dark round spots, reminiscent of the thirty pieces of silver received by Judas for betraying Christ.

The passion flower is called the "flower of passion" in honor of the Passion of Christ. The people of the 17th century were completely obsessed with Christianity and attached religious significance to everything. They also believed that the petals of the flower symbolized the faithful apostles, its white flowers - heaven and purity, and the tentacles - the whips with which they whipped Christ.

Types of passionflower

There are about 500 varieties of passionflower, each species impresses with beautiful and exotic colors.

Passiflora x alato-caerulea is a hybrid between two species - P.alato and P.caerulea. It is colored in pink-purple. Its flowers are larger - over 10 cm in diameter. The minimum temperature that this species tolerates in winter is 5 degrees.

Passiflora antioquiensis grows in Colombia and is considered the ancestor of all others. It is painted entirely in pink and its colors are over 10 cm in diameter.

Passiflora caerulie or Blue passionflower is the most common species. It is also the easiest to grow. It blooms in white, in pink with a purple wreath. The fruit is conditionally edible. In the beginning the plant is very sensitive to cold, but over time it hardens. It needs support in the form of a hoop. Winters without problems in rooms without heating, as long as they are bright. Watering in the cold months is moderate.

Passiflora edulis, also called Passion Fruit, is passionflowerwhich gives the fruit passion fruit. Juice is prepared from them. In warm countries, the plant is grown mainly for passion fruit. Its flowers have exotic white lashes. In winter it does not tolerate temperatures below 12 degrees.

Passiflora foetida is a species that has small flowers - about 5 cm in diameter, painted white, with a pink center. What is special about this species is the presence of an unpleasant odor in case the stem breaks.

Passiflora molissima has light pink flowers. This plant differs from other species in its tolerance to lower temperatures. Of course, in winter it should not be left outdoors.

Passiflora subpeltata grows in tropical parts of America. Its colors are small and white. This passion flower is extremely beautiful, but unfortunately it is the rarest.

Composition of passionflower

The passion flower It contains mainly three main types of chemicals: alkaloids, glycosides and flavonoids (mainly chrysin, which determines its calming effect). Natural serotonin and maltol, which have a sedative effect, have also been isolated.

Growing passion fruit

Passionflower is a beautiful and exotic flowerwhich, however, requires a lot of care. It prefers sun and heat, but does not like drought, so its soil should be moist, but not too much. It is good to keep the plant in the fresh air, but it should not be current.

Frequent fertilization (twice a month) is necessary for the flower to grow healthy. As passionflower comes from a tropical climate, it is advisable to spray its leaves from time to time. As an energetic creeping flower, the passion flower needs a stable lattice on which to climb.

Dead and rotten parts of the plant must be removed because they are potential enemies. Pruning can be done from late winter to mid-spring. Watch out for pests such as whiteflies and mites, which are also fans of passion fruit. During the colder months passionflower should be kept in the light and cool, reducing watering.

Passionflower can be bought in a pot or planted. The flower is propagated by seeds, cuttings and rhizomes. Growing a plant from seed often requires a lot of patience as it takes more time. Before sowing, the seeds should be soaked for two days in warm water. Those that sink are planted, and the rest are thrown on the surface of the water because they will not give color.

Otherwise, their germination is good and persists for several years. Seeds can be purchased in all specialized, some are packaged in our country and are affordable.

The most favorable time for sowing seeds is in December-January, indoors, in pots with a light peat-sand mixture or a mixture of leaf litter and sand. Then dive, and later plant the passionflower in a pot or outdoors. At early sowing dates the plants will bloom in the first year in July and will be covered with flowers until September.

The flower is easily grasped by seeds, but since the new plant may not be identical to the mother plant, propagation by cuttings in the late autumn months is more advisable.

With a knife or pruning shears cut under the knot of the first or second old leaf from the final bud. The lower leaf is removed along with the stalks. The cutting is immersed in root powder and inserted about 13 mm into the soil. Fifteen cuttings are collected in a pot with a diameter of 15 cm.

Nodal cuttings are useful when the material for the top cuttings is small. They should have two or three petals and the lower leaf and stalks should be removed. In this way you can get a large number of cuttings from one shoot. A mixture of equal parts sand and peat moss is a more suitable medium for cuttings than just sand, perlite or peat.

Many species can grow without a problem in the heat, on the windowsill, but it is good to cover with a plastic bag in the first week. The plant should be released from the bag from time to time or small holes should be made for ventilation. Cuttings are transplanted when a good root system has already formed.

Benefits of passionflower

Although it is grown in our country mainly because of its exotic appearance, this beautiful flower has many useful properties. In traditional medicine, the leaves and flowers of passionflower are used as a sedative, but also as a tonic for the heart.

According to new research, the leaves of passionflower suppress cough like codeine, which is found in many syrups. The herb lowers blood pressure. Recent studies have shown that passionflower is an aphrodisiac and improves fertility, and the analgesic effect of passionflower is recognized worldwide.

Folk medicine with passionflower

Decoction of passionflower has a beneficial effect on anxiety, insomnia, hysteria, high blood pressure and rapid heartbeat. It is also recommended for pain of various nature, muscle and joint problems, alcoholism. Passionflower tea has beneficial effects on coughs, asthma and menopause. It is also used as an aphrodisiac.

Decoction of passionflower is prepared by putting 1-2 g of the herb in 200-250 ml of hot water for about 15 minutes. The tea is filtered and drunk 1 cup 2-3 times a day.

Harm from the passion flower

The plant should not be used by people who suffer from kidney or bladder problems. It is not recommended to be used in combination with sedatives.