Passiflora incarnata, “maypop”, “passion flower”, “happy dappies”
Passifloraceae
Pictures from Jenny Hipscher’s yard in Columbia, MO.
Passion flower’s name refers to a bit of Catholic lore. Kids stepping on the fruit And making it loudly explode=maypop. Happy dappies is what Melissa calls it, because it makes her happy to stick her nose in since she was a child.
It has long been used as a carminative (relieving flatulence), and as a sedative for treating menstrual cramps, tension headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure and nervousness without bad side effects. People make a tea or smoke it, it’s fairly non-addictive.
The aerial parts of this plant contain flavonoids, sterols and the alkaloids harmol, harmane, harmaline, harmine and harmalol.
(“Medicinal Plants of the Heartland”, Kaye and Billington)
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of drought. Roots appreciate a loose mulch. Spreads by root suckers to cover large areas in optimum growing conditions. Although P. incarnata is the hardiest of the passion flowers, it is not reliably winter hardy throughout USDA Zone 5 and may not survive extremely cold winters therein. In the St. Louis area, it is best to plant this vine in a protected area that is sheltered by a wall, garage or other structure.
“Passiflora incarnata is a rapid-growing, tendril-climbing vine which is woody in warm winter climates and herbaceous (dies to the ground) in cold winter climates. A native of the Southeastern U.S., including southern Missouri where it typically occurs in sandy soils, low moist woods and open areas. Features three-lobed, dark green leaves and showy, 2.5″ diameter, fringed flowers having white petals and sepals and a central crown of pinkish-purple filaments. Flowers bloom in summer and are fragrant. Fleshy, egg-shaped, edible fruits called maypops appear in July and mature to a yellowish color in fall. Ripened maypops can be eaten fresh off the vine or made into jelly.”
Paradise Ecological Services 