Help! What Is This Odd Flower?

Ask The Plant Expert:

Do you know the name of this flower? This flower is so odd and different.  No one I talk to knows what it is.  Maybe you can help. – Donna

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Donna,

I love this flower. My parents have a big area of passion flowers in the wooded area of their property. The one my parents have is Passiflora incarnata or purple passion flower which is a vine. Yours is most likely Passiflora caerulea which is commonly called blue passion flower or common passion flower. This too is a vine.

• A sibling to both of these is Passiflora edulis also known as passionfruit.
• Passiflora can be found in the following states AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV.
• It can become invasive in the right circumstance.  However, it is a good food source for terrestrial birds.
• The fruit of the Passiflora caerulea is edible.  However, in the raw form it is not too tasty. When cooked you can use it as a substitution for blackberries.
• Another benefit of this plant is that it attracts butterflies.

Hope this information was helpful.