THE HERB COLLECTION

Passionflower

Maypop Vine • Ornate Purple Blossom of Quiet Evening Reflection.

Explore the common forms, learn a little about the plant, and choose what suits your cupboard.

Whole dried passionflower flowers for steeping and infusions.

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A little about passionflower.

The plant

Mild, grassy, and softly earthy-herbaceous with subtle hay-like notes. Native to Southeastern North America (Passifloraceae).

The forms

Most often prepared as a evening aerial infusion using 2 g – 3 g (1.5 tbsp cut leaf, stem & flower) at 200°F (93°C) (10–12 min covered).

Before you choose

Check the label for the Latin name (Passiflora incarnata), and choose the form that suits your cupboard.

Traditional uses & research +

Botanical taxonomy: Passiflora incarnata (Passifloraceae) · Tradition: Calming Nervines · Key constituents: Vitexin, Isovitexin, Chrysin, Harmala trace alkaloids.

Curated collections: Evening Calm & Bedtime Infusions · Seasonal almanac: July Almanac (High-Summer Mint, Basil & Meadow Nervines).

Traditional background: Indigenous peoples of the American Southeast valued the native maypop vine (Passiflora incarnata) long before Spanish missionaries named its elaborate radial crown.

Everyday & kitchen uses: Steeped as an evening herbal tea or prepared as a botanical glycerite and tincture alongside skullcap and valerian.

Standard preparation methods (compare all 50 steeping temperatures):

Evening Aerial Infusion (2 g – 3 g (1.5 tbsp cut leaf, stem & flower) at 200°F (93°C)): 10–12 min covered
Evening Tisane (1 tbsp passionflower + 1 tbsp chamomile + 1 tsp lemon balm at 200°F (93°C)): 10 min covered
Apothecary Liquid Extract (1:5 dried aerial parts in 45% alcohol at Dark glass maceration): Steep 4 weeks, shaking daily

Cautions & interactions +

General information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor or pharmacist before using this herb if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, giving it to a child, taking medication or managing a health condition.

Who should use caution: Do not use passionflower during pregnancy, because it may cause uterine contractions. Little is known about safety while breastfeeding, and use in children under 12 is not established. It can cause drowsiness, dizziness and confusion, so do not drive if affected. Avoid combining it with sedatives such as benzodiazepines, zolpidem or barbiturates, or with alcohol or clonidine. It might interact with anesthesia, so avoid it before surgery and tell your surgeon if you used it in the prior 2 weeks. Tea may be safe for up to 7 nights and extract for up to 8 weeks; longer use is not established.

Species & lookalike verification: Specify Purple Passionflower / Maypop (Passiflora incarnata), native to the southeastern United States, which is the official pharmacopoeial species studied for chrysin, vitexin, and isovitexin flavonoids. Ornamental Blue Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) and tropical Passionfruit vine (Passiflora edulis) have different alkaloid/glycoside profiles; other species have not been well studied for safety, and P. caerulea leaves are reported to contain cyanogenic compounds.

Cupboard storage (amber glass guide): Store cut-and-sifted aerial parts in a cool, dark cabinet.

Sources & further reading +

Is Passionflower made from the passionfruit flower?
Commercial passionfruit comes primarily from Passiflora edulis, a tropical South American species. Apothecary passionflower tea is harvested from Passiflora incarnata (the hardy North American 'Maypop' vine), whose aerial leaves, stems, and blossoms contain vitexin and isovitexin flavonoids.

What does passionflower tea taste like on its own?
On its own, Passiflora incarnata tastes mild, green, and slightly hay-like—similar to a light green rooibos or oatstraw. It has almost no bitterness, which makes it an effortless base to pair with lemon balm, lavender, or chamomile.

Which part of the passionflower plant is used in herbalism?
Despite the name, herbalists harvest the entire above-ground ('aerial') vine during the flowering and early fruiting stage—including the three-lobed leaves, stems, coiled tendrils, and blossoms.

When is passionflower most commonly steeped?
Passionflower is traditionally favored by people who experience 'circular thinking' or mental chatter at bedtime, steeped 30–45 minutes before lights out.

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