Passionflower
We have a passionflower vine in our garden, but it is not blooming yet. However, I found these beauties in South Texas last week. They were growing on a fence near the entrance to Seawind RV Resort in Riviera.
The name Passionflower refers to the passion of Christ. Each part of the flower is symbolically related to the crucifixion. The cornea is the crown of thorns. The stamens represent Christ's wounds. The knob-like stigma are the nails. The curling tendrils suggests the whips and cords that tormented him.
You may know this flower as a Maypop, one of it's common names. When we purchased the vine we have in our yard, I remember the lady at the nursery telling us that as a child she and her sisters used to pick the flowers and play with them, imagining them to be fairy skirts.
I love the passionflowers! In Bermuda they use them to make perfume, and there is a huge field of them, in multiple colors, it is just beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteyes,this shrug pattern is getting a little worn! Wow, looks like you had a nice summer of travel. Love the pics from D.C., and of course love the photos of the passionflowers!!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a passion flower in person...they are so, so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love passionflowers - but I never knew all the symbology about them.
ReplyDeleteI knew them as Maypops as a child. We had them growing all alongside the dirt road that led to our house and my brother and I liked to step on the buds to hear them "pop"!
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ReplyDeleteI love the friday flowers! This one is gorgeous!
I know EXACTLY where you snapped the picture from Tracey!!! We stayed at that same park ourselves! Did John get to do any fishing off the pier? When we were there, the wind blew the whole time we were there!
ReplyDeleteWow...I've never heard of or seen Maypops or passionflowers! They must not grow in the great frozen north! I did find a pretty purple thistle in my backyard after you posted yours last week, though! Thanks for posting these - I really look forward to your floral pictures every week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful flower. I've heard of them, though never seen one. I never knew it was supposed to represent the passion of Christ, though. How neat!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind that you don't want to play, it is all for fun anyway. I really enjoy reading your blog. You always have beautiful photos. I had trouble posting my vacation photos. (I'm sure you noticed.) I too enjoy reading blogs of other TPP volunteers, get ideas of what everyone else is working on. I donate my items to Michigan as Iowa had more than enough at the time I joined.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
Sue
What lovely shots of a spectacular passionflower! I was never able to grow them successfully when I lived in Texas, but my friend Bonnie had lovely ones that looked a lot like those you showed.
ReplyDeleteLove the "fairy skirt" story as well. It reminds me of when my mom used to make rhubarb pies in the summer, and my cousin and I loved to play with the big leftover leaves. We used them as fans, tied them onto our heads as big bonnets - we loved them! Thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories!
Gorgeous passionflower. :-)
ReplyDeleteI came here to say hello and mention that sometimes you meet the nicest people on a quiet Saturday at the yarn store. :-D
I hope you all had a safe and uneventful drive home. (It was storming again by the time I left).
Enjoy your roving!
Absolutely GORGEOUS!! I love that color purple. We don't have those out here in the desert. =)
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My mom had a passion flower growing at the front of our house when we were growing up. I remember she was always so happy when it would bloom. I'd forgotten how beautiful they were.
ReplyDeletewhat a unique flower. I love the picture of the not-yet-open bud with those little tenrils in it.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen such a flower....it is gorgeous!
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