Wednesday, April 18, 2012

P is for....


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   For P I have another vine. "Pasionaria"   Passiflora incarnata or "Passionflower". This plant is also known as "Apricot Vine" and "Maypop". This vine can be found all over the eastern half of Texas. Beside the showy flowers this vine also produces an edible fruit. In his book "Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf" by John Muir. He states the apricot vine has "the most delicious fruit I have ever eaten."  
   The fruit ripens from yellowish to light brown. The pulp of the Passionflower is sweet and fruit when ripe. But, if it gets over ripe it has a fermented foul taste.
   There has been discoveries that suggest the Native Americans use to cultivate the vine for the fruit as well as medicinal use. Even today the dried and fresh whole plant is used in Germany, France and other European countries for nervous anxiety.

    I find this one around my house a lot, but I have never tried the fruit. I think I will this summer. Isn't the A to Z great I am learning new things everyday.



Picture from University of Texas Plant Resource Center

Picture for Wikipedia