Passiflora caerulea
| Passiflora caerulea | |
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| Passiflora caerulea in fruit | |
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| Passiflora caerulea cut and opened | |
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| Species: | P. caerulea
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| Passiflora caerulea | |
Passiflora caerulea, commonly known as the Blue Passion Flower or the Common Passion Flower, is a vine native to South America (Argentina, Paraguay (where it is widely known as the Mburucuyá in Guaraní), Uruguay and Brazil). These names may also be applied to Passiflora edulis sometimes known as the passionfruit.
It is popular with gardeners because of its intricate, scented flowers that have an almost plastic-looking appearance.
Description
A woody vine capable of growing to 15–20 m high where supporting trees are available. The leaves are alternate, palmately five-lobed like a spread hand (sometimes three or seven lobes), 10–18 cm long and wide. The base of each leaf has a flagellate-twining tendril 5–10 cm long, which twines around supporting vegetation to hold the plant up.
The flower is complex, about 10 cm in diameter, with the five sepals and petals similar in appearance, whitish in colour, surmounted by a corona of blue or violet filaments, then five greenish-yellow stamens and three purple stigmas. The fruit is an oval orange-yellow berry 6 cm long by 4 cm in diameter, containing numerous seeds; it is eaten, and the seeds spread by mammals and birds. In tropical climates, it will flower all year round.
Cultivars
A number of cultivars have been produced from the species.
- 'Chinensis' . Corona filaments paler blue.
- 'Constance Elliott' . Was raised by Kucombe and Prince in Exeter, Great Britain. It has pure white, fragrant flowers; not as free-flowering as many other clones.
- 'Grandiflora' . Flowers to 20 cm in diameter.
- 'Hartwiesiana' . Flowers white.
- 'Regnellii' . Has very long corona filaments.
The species has been used in numerous hybrids.
Cultivation and uses
Passiflora caerulea is cultivated worldwide (it is also a pest plant in certain countries). Even though the fruit is edible, it is rather insipid when eaten raw. It can substitute for blackberries. More palatable is the fruit of the Passiflora edulis, which is sweet and acidic. A tea can be made of the flower and is said to alleviate stress and anxiety. However, tetraphyllin B and epi-tetraphyllin B, cyanogenic glycosides (which liberate hydrogen cyanide when activated by enzymes), have been found in the leaves. It is possible to boil away most of the cyanide.[citation needed].
In South America, it is used to make juice and delicious desserts such as the passion fruit mousse.
In culture
The flower of the passion fruit is considered as the national flower of Paraguay. It is said to be the Jesus Flower.Each part of the flower represents a different part of the crucifixion.
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