Passiflora elegans
Mast.
Maracuja-de-estalo
(c) Tomás Carranza Perales, some rights reserved (CC BY)
(c) nicolasweissheimer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) nicolasweissheimer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
Passiflora incarnata (maypop) leaves and roots have a long history of use as a traditional medicine by Native Americans in North America and were adapted by European colonists. The fresh or dried leaves of maypop are used to make a tea that is used as a sedative. Passionflower as dried powder or an extract is used as a dietary supplement. There is insufficient clinical evidence for using passionflower to treat any medical condition. Passionflower is classified as generally recognized as safe for use as a food ingredient in the U.S.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
It is a subtropical plant. It grows naturally on the edges of forests in southern Brazil. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level.
Argentina, Brazil*, South America, Uruguay,
How to Identify
A climbing herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It has tendrils. The stem is cylinder shaped. The leaves have 3 lobes and are thin. They are 2.5-5 cm long. The leaf stalk is thin and 3.5 cm long. It has 2-4 glands on it. The flowers occur singly and are 4-14 cm across. They have a thin stalk 2-4 cm long. The fruit are sweet and juicy. They are green but turn yellow when ripe.
How to Grow
Plants are grown from seed.
Other Information
The fruit are not very popular.
References (3)
- Brack, P., et al, 2020, Frutas nativas do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil: riqueza e potencial alimentício. Native fruits of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: richness and potential as food. Rodriguésia 71: e03102018.
- Kinupp, V. F., 2007, Plantas alimenticias nao-convencionais da regiao metropolitana de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil p 90
- Lorenzi, H., Bacher, L., Lacerda, M. & Sartori, S., 2006, Brazilian Fruits & Cultivated Exotics. Sao Paulo, Instituto Plantarum de Estuados da Flora Ltda. p 263
