Passion Fruit / Plant of the Month

Oh passion fruit, where have you BEEN all of my life?! For anyone that is considering adding this beautiful vine to your garden, I’m here to tell you to just DO IT and do it NOW! You won’t regret it. 

I originally planted my vines from seeds when we first moved to our home 4 years ago. I planted a seed or two at the base of the fence posts as I wanted them to trail and cover my fence along my side garden. I didn’t have high hopes as this is traditionally considered more of a tropical plant but I knew I might get lucky and at least be able to enjoy the vines for at least one season. Boy was I wrong in this thinking! For context, I live in Virginia, Zone 6B / 7A .  For the first 2 seasons, I only got the vining plant. Year 3 I started to get the most beautiful, sweet, tropical smelling flowers which I loved and was most grateful for. I started researching this plant during year 3 to learn more about it and the medicinal properties as it was growing prolific in my garden and was just begging me to work with her!  But then…. Then, in the 4th growing season I was shocked to discover fruit growing off the falling flowers! Year 4 I had an abundance of flowers, so many that the new flowers (they only bloom for 1, 2 days max) were hiding the fruits that were coming in on the spent flowers! After letting the fruit ripen, my variety turns a deep orange color when ripe, I picked my first one, split it open with my fingers while standing in the garden with dirty hands after working in said garden because there was no way I couldn’t resist trying this tropical fruit that surprised me with it’s presence. The taste is sweet and tropical. The fruit are a deep red, and remind me of pomegranate seeds as the fruit is made of a cluster of seeds coated in the red sweet nectar. I am officially hooked and I'm already dreaming of how the plants might do this year!  

My research into the Passion Flower has led me to work with her in a number of ways, from tinctures, flower essence, to Wild Ink and more!

For a sleep tincture, I infused all parts of the passion flower plant along with lavender, + chamomile in vodka for 6-8 weeks, straining, and bottling once the infusion was ready. A dropper full about 30 min before bed and another just before helps to relax and send me to dreamland. 

Flower Essence of Passion Flower:

Crown - chakra opening that connect us to our Higher Selves + The Divine

Enhances clairvoyance + channeling messages from Spirit Guides

Helps dispel emotional confusion relating to these states of higher awareness so that the understandings received can be more easily assimilated + integrated into everyday life.

When you use the plants of the Passion Flower to make a Wild Ink, you’ll get a soft yellowish green color that I feel you could deepen if you started with a larger batch and allowed it to concentrate down.

I’ve used Passion Flower in some of my Alternative Photography techniques which you can read more on here.

I’d love to know how you’ve incorporated this beautifully exotic medicinal plant into your garden and life; let me know how you tap into her magic!