Maypop Passionvine Passiflora incarnata purple flower.

An ant drinking fluid from a Maypop Passionvine Passiflora incarnata node.

Botanical Name: Passiflora incarnata

Common Names: Maypop Passionvine

Plant type: Vine

Zone: 6 - 10

Light: Full sun to full shade

Size: 1' - 2' tall without support; 10' plus with support.

Water: Average water needs, tolerates drought

Soil: Average garden soil

Propagation: Seed, cuttings, layering

Bloom: Lavender - Purple

Note: Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae, Zebra Longwing Heliconius charithonia, Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia, and Julia Dryas iulia Host or Larval Food Plant

Note: Various butterfly species use the small white flowers as a nectar source. Note: Plant in shade to attract Zebra Longwings. Zebra Longwing butterflies lay eggs on tender tip growth and tendrils on passionvine growing in the shade or on a very cloudy day.

Note: Ants are attracted to passionvine to drink from the nodes at the base of passionvine leaves. If you use a chemical on the soil underneath the plant to kill these ants, butterflies are less apt to lay eggs on the plant. The roots draw up traces of this chemical when the plant is watered. When butterflies come to lay eggs, they taste the un-natural taste of their leaves and may not lay eggs.