Passiflora

Passiflora, also known as the passion flowers or even passion vines, is a genus of around 500 species of flowering plants. The species are mostly vines with some of them being shrubs. A few species are herbaceous, too. Passiflora is absent in Africa. Most of the species are found in South America, eastern and southern Asia and New Guinea. The passion flowers have exclusive structure that, in most cases, requires large bees to effectively pollinate them.

A number of Passiflora species are cultivated outside their natural area because of their mesmerizing flowers and delicious fruit. Hundreds of hybrids have been made. Actually, hybridizing is currently being done in large amounts for fruits, flowers and foliage. Most species have a round or even elongated and edible fruit that can be used as a source to make juice. The leaves, be it dried or fresh, are used to make a tea that is commonly used for insomnia, hysteria, and even epilepsy. It also contains analgesic properties. Passionflower is known for having sedative effects. It is classified and recognized as safe for the use in foods. Its database indicates a possible effect for anxiety mood adjustment, but it can cause sedation.

Some people give up on improving their gardens due to the difficulty in finding some species they’re looking for. Astra Fund Holland BV is here to help with that, providing a large range of wholesale flower bulbs and plants in general.