Passionflower
Sometimes you have only to step into your own backyard to go on a plant safari… I am thrilled to have a passionflower vine climb over the boundary wall of our house in The Netherlands. I check on this climber daily looking for new blooms and the occasional fruit. This uninvited guest can definitely stay :)
It reminded me that I planted a ‘granadilla’ vine (translation: ‘granadilla’ is local South African for passionfruit) which became rampant against the garage wall in our old home in Johannesburg. These fruits grow very well in the South African climate where it is also cultivated.
My nostalgia for this fruit thus has cultural roots and many delicious childhood memories. After moving to Europe I discovered that these purple skinned fruits I called ‘granadillas’ are called passion fruits (Passiflora edulis) here. And confusingly ‘granadillas’ are actually a different but related yellow skinned Malaysian variety - the sweet grenadilla (Passiflora ligularis).
But back to the Passionflower climbing into my garden… Your plant allies will always have a way of finding you! This different variety seems to be commonplace as an ornamental garden plant here.
And on a recent visit to a butterfly farm I noticed they had many passionflower vines in the enclosure containing butterflies (species present were mostly from tropical Asia and the Americas where the vines are also indigenous). I saw butterflies flirting with the flowers and also found a caterpillar eating their new shoots. So interesting to observe this inter-species relationship on a foreign shore. Coincidentally the therapeutic parts used in herbal medicine are these young shoots because they are highest in alkaloids.
In fact Passionflower and the Banisteriopsis vine or Ayahuasca both have certain beta-carboline harmala alkaloids in common. These alkaloids are natural compounds that can influence our nervous systems. Passionflower however has them at much lower concentrations and is therefore not hallucinogenic like Ayahuasca.
As a herbal medicine, Passionflower is anti anxiety and calming and a wonderful support plant for highly sensitive people (like me) who are easily and deeply impacted by the world and stress.
My first experience with passionflower was at the naive age of 19 after I was unceremoniously dumped by a boy and completely distraught. A friend and fellow homeopathy student whose parents were herbalists gave me herbal tablets made from passionflower which comforted me immensely and helped me in regaining my emotional balance (and dignity). I still remember to this day how dramatically steadying it felt (together with the homeopathic remedy, Ignatia amara 10M - an excellent therapeutic and transformative combo that I have used countless times with hysterical distraught clients).
But evidently Passionflower works too well - it has actually been banned as a herbal supplement in many countries. In fact shortly after my personal experience with passionflower it was banned in South Africa. But here in the EU I have found it again.
Latin name - Passiflora incarnata
Common name - ‘Maypop’
Passionflower is especially helpful for sleep disturbances and is calming and in particular indicated when your mind is racing, you are thinking too much, your mind is clouded with catastrophic thoughts and fearful fantasies of the future, or you feel like you are having a nervous breakdown.
Passionflower calms the spirit and in scientific jargon, is a mild sedative, hypnotic, antispasmodic, anodyne, hypotensive and nervine which works on the heart and liver.
Combined with other calming herbs like skullcap, California poppy, lemon balm and valerian, passionflower makes an excellent balm for a frayed nervous system and sleeping aid.
FYI: Its name ‘passionflower’ comes from Christian missionaries who saw this tropical plant's unique flowers with distinctive corona, as symbols of the crucifixion of Jesus.
If you want ot know more about other common medicinal and edible plants, read my blogs on 'wise weeds' HERE
So let's go on a plant safari... growing with the seasons and learning with plants
From my wild heart to yours
nicole
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Sources
Healing with the herbs of life by Lesley Tierra
Disclaimer:
Please note that the information in this blog is not intended to diagnose illnesses or replace the advice of a qualified health professional. It is intended as an introductory guide for my community and complementary info for the clients I work with. I can in no way be held responsible for any adverse effects and negative consequences that arise from ingesting wild plants or using medicinal products made from them, or for errors in plant identification and self -diagnosis. Always consult a qualified health professional when seeking herbal advice.
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