Passionflower
Passionflower is the wildly extra purple bloom that looks like it was designed by a jellyfish who got into the glitter. Native to the American South, it's a classic nervine in herbalism, traditionally used to quiet a racing mind, ease tension and support restful sleep. Herbalists reach for it when your thoughts are spinning and your body can't settle down. It's your nervous system's best friend when everything feels like a lot.
Find it in:
- Botanical namePassiflora incarnata
- Plant familyPassifloraceae (passionflower family)
- Also calledMaypop, purple passionflower, wild apricot
- Part usedDried leaf, stem and flower
- TasteMild, grassy and hay-like
- CaffeineNone
Traditional Uses & Folklore
Indigenous roots
Passionflower is native to the southeastern United States, where Indigenous peoples, including the Cherokee, ate its fruit, called maypops, and used the plant as medicine. The roots and leaves were used in remedies for many complaints, and the fruit was a summer food.
How it got its name
In the 1500s, Spanish missionaries in the Americas saw symbols of the Passion of Christ in the flower's strange anatomy. The fringe looked like a crown of thorns, the stamens like wounds and the styles like nails. They named it flos passionis, "flower of the Passion," and it has nothing to do with romance (sorry).
The Eclectic physicians' calmer
In 19th-century America, the Eclectic physicians, a movement of doctors who used plant medicine, embraced passionflower for restlessness, sleeplessness and frazzled nerves. It entered European herbal medicine around the same time and became a staple of calming tea blends.
The scienceWhat Modern Research Is Exploring
Passionflower has a small but promising body of human research. Here's what researchers are looking at:
- Calm. A few small clinical trials have looked at passionflower extract for everyday nervousness and worry, with encouraging early results.
- Sleep. One small study found that drinking passionflower tea was linked to better sleep quality in healthy adults.
- Before procedures. Researchers have explored passionflower for pre-surgery nerves, with promising results.
We share this to show where the conversation is going, not to make promises. Herbalism is slow medicine, built on ritual, consistency, and how a plant feels in your own body.
From Tea LadyWhy Passionflower Is in Our Blends
Passionflower is the calm in Luteal Phase Tea. It's your nervous system's best friend when the luteal phase feels like a lot, helping to steady your mood through the second half of your cycle. When PMS has you wound up, passionflower helps you unwind.
Sip mindfullySafety & Who Should Check First
Passionflower is generally considered gentle in tea-sized amounts. A few things to keep in mind:
- Drowsiness. Passionflower can make some people sleepy. See how it affects you before driving or doing anything that needs your full attention.
- Sedatives. Passionflower may add to the effect of sedatives, sleep medications, or anti-anxiety medications. Check with your healthcare provider if you take any of these.
- Pregnancy. Passionflower is traditionally avoided during pregnancy. Check with your healthcare provider if you're pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding.
- Surgery. Stop drinking passionflower at least two weeks before a scheduled surgery, since it may interact with anesthesia.
Sources & Further Reading
- Akhondzadeh S, Naghavi HR, Vazirian M, et al. "Passionflower in the treatment of generalized anxiety: a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial with oxazepam." Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 2001; 26(5): 363–367.
- Ngan A, Conduit R. "A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality." Phytotherapy Research, 2011; 25(8): 1153–1159.