Purple passionflower is fragrant and blooms throughout the summer in northeast Kansas.

Purple passionflower vine, or Passiflora incarnata, is a seldom-used but unique and distinctive addition appropriate for gardens in the Lawrence area.

Plant it this spring for its unforgettable beauty, its attractiveness to butterflies and bees, for the maypop fruits it produces, or for its herbal medicinal uses.

The blossoms for which purple passionflower is best known are about 2.5 inches in diameter with white petals and sepals arched back from the center of the flower. Above the petals are pale purple and white filaments resembling the thin fringe of a hula skirt. The center of the flower bears a single structure that sticks out like a crown, bearing both the pollen-producing male parts and the female pistil. It truly looks like something out of the tropics, but is native to the good old southeastern United States, including parts of eastern Kansas.

In addition to their rare beauty, blossoms are fragrant and appear throughout the summer, typically June-September in the Lawrence area. Blooms are followed by edible egg-shaped fruits that turn yellow as they ripen in late summer and fall. Fruits can be eaten raw or processed into jelly or other sweet treats.

Plant purple passionflower in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil on a trellis, wall, arbor, fence, or other support. The vine is easy to start from seed, but can also be transplanted as a seedling. It will grow to 6 to 8 feet in height or length. Provide adequate moisture until the plant is established, but after that it should require only occasional watering and little maintenance. It has few pest problems. The plant is perennial but may die back to the ground in cold winters.

Gardeners outside of eastern Kansas, especially those further north or west, should consider using purple passionflower with caution. The plant can reseed and it will sucker from its roots in the right soil and moisture conditions. It is even reported as invasive in some areas. Here, some gardeners might call the plant aggressive while others would only call it hardy. If necessary, remove suckers and seedlings as they pop up to keep the plant in check.

Purple passionflower was reportedly cultivated by some American Indian tribes for food and medicine. Fruit was used for juice and syrup. Root teas and infusions were used to treat inflammation, earaches, liver problems and various other ailments.

Other species of passionflower may be available from garden centers or seed sources as well. Two popular species are red passionflower, or Passiflora coccinea, and blue passionflower, or Passiflora caerulea. Both red and blue passionflowers are native to South America and are only hardy in warmer areas. They can be planted as summer annuals and also have showy flowers and fruit.

Although purple passionflower is a specific host species for two types of butterflies, those species are rarely seen in Kansas. Still, flowers and fruit may be attractive to other pollinators and wildlife.

— Jennifer Smith is a former horticulture extension agent for K-State Research and Extension and horticulturist for Lawrence Parks and Recreation. She is the host of “The Garden Show.” Send your gardening questions and feedback to features@ljworld.com.