Passionflower

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata L.) is an herbaceous perennial climbing plant, that belongs to the Passifloraceae family. It’s native to central and southern Europe and the southern regions of the United States. Its flower grows to be about 5 cm high and can have a color range of white to lavender. Its fruit is edible, even though it is slightly more acidic, smaller and greenish than the fruit used for food (passion fruit). The genus name was given to the plant by Jesuit missionaries in the 1600’s because some of the plant parts looked like religious symbols from the Passion of Christ. Passionflower extract is used in herbal medicine because it helps induce relaxation and sleep during moments of stress and promotes mental well-being. It also regulates gastrointestinal motility and helps eliminate gas.