Submitted by Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Chapter, Virginia Native Plant Society
Driving along sandy roadsides and fields of the coastal plain in summer, it is always a delight to find our native purple passionflower, a deciduous vine with dark green, three-lobed leaves and exquisite, showy flowers and edible fruit. This vigorous vine is native to the southeastern U.S. from Kansas to Pennsylvania and southward and to Florida and Texas.
In Virginia, it is most common in the southeastern coastal plain and outer Piedmont. Occurring in both Lancaster and Northumberland counties, it is one of the hardiest passionflower species. It is quite drought-tolerant once established, and adaptable to a variety of soils, but prefers sandy or loamy soils and sunny sites. It is found along… [to-view-more]