Passion Flower, Cut & Sifted (Passiflora incarnata) – Dried Herb

Passion Flower, also known as Apricot Vine, Maypop and Wild Passion Flower, is a perennial climbing vine with palmate leaves and intricate flowers. The flowers bloom in the summer months and are pollinated by insects, producing edible fruit which houses the seeds.

Passiflora incarnata is a member of the Passifloriaceae family. It is indigenous to the southern United States as well as Mexico and South America. It is now widely cultivated throughout the US and Europe. This family includes passion fruit, the tasty tropical fruit.

The plant, which is native to the tropical regions of North America, first used by the Aztecs of Mexico thousands of years ago as a folk remedy. Passion Flower was traditionally used as a sedative and treatment for insomnia and nervousness by the Aztecs. It was also employed for epilepsy, painful menses and headaches.

Spanish explorers brought Passion Flower to Europe, where it was quickly incorporated into European herbal medicine going back to 1787. Early European settlers in North America recorded the Algonkian Indigenous people eating the Passion Flower fruit. The Cherokee used Passion Flower root for medicine and various indigenous people using the plant as a topical poultice. Various parts of the plants, including the fruits, were made into a beverage; and the leaves and young tendrils were boiled or fried and eaten.

Properties: 

The taste and energetics of Passion Flower is slightly bitter, mild in flavour with a grassy earthiness, astringent and cooling. Passion Flower has an affinity towards the nervous system, brain and cardiovascular system. Combine Passion Flower with Skullcap, Lemon Balm, Valerian, or Chamomile to soothe the nervous system, promote relaxation, and support healthy sleep. 

How to use:

1 teaspoon of Passion Flower to one cup of boiling water. Steep for 15 minutes, strain and drink up to three cups a day.

Cautions & contraindications:

Passion Flower may elevate the effects of prescription sedatives, antispasmodics and anxiolytics, so use cautiously or not at all together. Do not use Passion Flower with MAOIs.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or illness. Please consult your healthcare provider prior to the use of this product if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications or have a medical condition. Individual results may vary.