Species PlantsPurple Passionflower

Purple Passionflower

Passiflora incarnata

CommonPlant
Illustration of Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

Purple Passionflower is one of the most exotic-looking native plants in North America, with intricate lavender-and-purple flowers unlike any other temperate wildflower. It climbs on fences and shrubs in open, disturbed habitats across the southeastern United States. It is the larval host plant for gulf fritillary, zebra longwing, and variegated fritillary butterflies.

Habitat
Open disturbed areas, field margins, and roadsides in the southeastern US
Diet
Larval host for gulf fritillary and zebra longwing butterflies; nectar for large bees
How common
Common

Best time to see a Purple Passionflower

The best time to see a Purple Passionflower is May–August, when about 68% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 35,733 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Not certain it is a Purple Passionflower? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent Purple Passionflower sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

Spot a Purple Passionflower? Identify it instantly.

Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.

Get Huck

Get an alert when a Purple Passionflower is spotted

Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.

Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.

Love plants? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

More plants

Purple Pitcher Plant
Purple Pitcher Plant
Sarracenia purpurea
Purple Poppy Mallow
Purple Poppy Mallow
Callirhoe involucrata
Purple Prairie Clover
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
Purple Saxifrage
Purple Saxifrage
Saxifraga oppositifolia
Purple Three-awn
Purple Three-awn
Aristida purpurea
Purple-headed Sneezeweed
Purple-headed Sneezeweed
Helenium flexuosum
Purple-stemmed Angelica
Purple-stemmed Angelica
Angelica atropurpurea
Purpletop
Purpletop
Tridens flavus