Sunday, January 22, 2012

Can someone explain please, I remember seeing an A on this site which said the fruits of the passion flower?

were edible. I have just bought one and there is a label in large letters saying that the fruits are dangerous. help please!!
Can someone explain please, I remember seeing an A on this site which said the fruits of the passion flower?
You have probably purchased a Passiflora caerulea, the Blue Passion Flower. This variety is ornamental only and the fruits MUST NOT be eaten. There are many forms of the large family Passiflora, the caerulea seen adorning gardens across our land with their tropical, mysterious flowers, which only last one day, are not of the edible type. The flowers are magnificent enough, without bearing edible fruit. There is a Biblical story or myth attached to this beauty. I think it's something to do with the disciples and the Last Supper of Jesus. Enjoy it, don't eat it.
Reply:There are poisonous varieties. I have one and I'm having a heck of a time getting rid of it. The root system has reached all the way to my foundation from the other side of the court. And it grew underneath the patio to get there. The fruits that are edible are very sour and of limited use. It doesn't much matter because once a colony of the butterflies that are associated with this plant get established they eat the leaves as fast as they grow. It's pretty unsightly most of the time.
Reply:Unless there are two types of passion flower..I can tell you of one.



PASSION FLOWER;A climbing plant of the tropical american genus Passiflora,family Passifloraceae .It bears distinctive flowerheads comprised of a saucer shaped petal base,a fringe like corona and a central stalk bearing the stamens and ovary. Some species produce edible fruit.



I hope I have been some help.
Reply:Many species of passion flower have edible fruit. Other varieties have fruit that is inedible or edible only by wildlife. Two examples of edible passion fruits are:

1) The Maypop (Passiflora incarnata) is a common southern wildflower. Its fruit is edible but not generally sought after as it is very seedy. Wildlife eats the fruit and various larval forms of butterflies also eat the leaves.

2)Passiflora edulis is the species cultivated for fruit for people to eat, mainly as juice. It's more tropical than the maypop and grows in southern Florida, the Carribean, and South Africa.

Fun facts: Substances in the Maypop are possibly useful against depression and have been used for centuries as medicinals by the native Americans. "Passion" refers to the Passion of Christ on the cross, as the entire flower has been thought of symbolically with each bit of it having a special meaning. And recently in Japan the flower has been taken up as a symbol of gay youth. And *that* is people for ya!
Reply:The fruits of Passiflora edulis are edible (the latin means edible passion flower). Many other members of the family also have edible fruit. But if I was you, I would pay attention to the label in this case.
Reply:Passion Fruit or Maypops. You probably bought an ornamental.
Reply:probably depends on the variety



if yours has a label saying not to eat, then you shouldn't eat it.
Reply:Some are definitely edible. But yours must be a variety that is not. I would heed the label!

This site says they are edible:

http://altnature.com/gallery/passionflow...

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