Passionflower Monograph
Passionflower, Passiflora incarnate, comes from the incredibly diverse passifloraceae family. It is a remarkable perennial climbing vine native to the topics of the southern US, central and south America that has 3-lobed leaves, egg-shaped fruit called maypop, and ornate, intricate, delicate flowers.
Earliest recorded use of this plant comes from the Aztecs, who called it “Snake Tongue” and it was widely used by the indigenous people of the tropics for a variety of medicinal actions. After colonization, this plant was exported throughout Europe where it was regarded as a sacred plant within the Christian church and given the name Passionflower.
Energetically passionflower is cool, sweet, bitter, pungent, and drying. It’s ruled by the Moon and has an affinity for the receptive quality of the nervous system and brain- how we receive signals through our nerves, how we react and respond. It’s indicated for excess Vata where wind in the body produces dramatic changes in symptoms come and go suddenly.
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Passionflower is an incredible nervine- it’s relaxing, sedating, hypnotic, anxiolytic, and mildly anti-depressant. Passionflower works directly on the central nervous system, gently lulling the system toward relaxation and sleep without the morning fogginess other narcotic herbs may impart. It quiets mental chatter and circular thinking, eases anxiety and palpitations, and cools excess heat created by stress and inflammation.
Passionflower is also highly regarded for its antispasmodic and analgesic properties. It relaxes muscle contraction and spasms seen in menstrual cramps, seizures, Parkinson’s, and gastric conditions like IBS and colitis. It eases pain through the nervous system such as neuralgia, shingles, and migraines. Research is also showing passionflower’s effectiveness in reducing the side effects of drug withdrawal and delirium tremors.
Passionflower is gentle enough to be used with the elderly, the sick, and with children. It should be avoided during pregnancy but can be used safely during lactation. Definitely consult with a professional herbalist before taking Passionflower if you are taking any SSRIs, MAOIs or other pharmaceuticals.
I first met Passionflower while I was living in New Orleans; I remember being frozen mid-walk, captivated by the sight of this incredible flower I’d never seen before. I stood with it for 10 or 15 minutes just smelling it, looking at it from every angle. This plant brought me such joy that day and continue to do so. I love drinking it in tea or taking it in glycerite formulas when I need to quiet my internal critic and ground into my body, when I need to release the built-up stress tension in my muscles and when I need to access deep, restorative sleep.
Have you met Passionflower before? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!
