Purple Passionflower

This fast growing vine produces extraordinary purple to lavendar blooms followed by hollow, yellow, egg-shaped fruit that can be enjoyed fresh or made into jelly. These fruits give the plant its common name, maypop, because they pop loudly when crushed.

The vine is low maintenance, drought tolerant, grows in sun or part shade in most types of soil.  It prefers good drainage. 

Support it on a fence or trellis or allow it to spread as a ground cover. It blooms from spring through fall. In the blackland prairie, it can be aggressive, but it can be controlled by pulling sprouts or by mowing. 

Birds eat the fruit and use leaves as nesting material. It is a larval host for several butterflies, including Gulf Fritillary, Zebra Longwing, Red-banded hairstreak, and Julia butterfly. It is also a nectar source.