Passion Flowers

Late Sunday afternoon, Secret Agent Man was out and about on the tractor. Really his favorite thing to do. He saw me outside and started yelling/waving/pointing at a field. Thought he needed help, but really he was showing me that he had found some, "purple flowers", as he put it, growing along a fence row. 

As it turned out they were Passion Flowers and they were everywhere in the field.  

Passion Flowers grow wild on a vine, throughout the southern United States.  Previously, I found a solitary flower growing next to an old pond, but never this many together.  The vines had grown through weeds, sticks, and the general wildness of the field. 

Named for The Passion of the Christ, the ten petals represent the ten apostles.  The three secondary calyx leaf bracts represent the Holy Trinity and the filaments represent the crown of thorns.  Also, the three stigmas equal Christ and the two thieves on the crosses. 

Also known as Maypop and Wild Apricot, Passion Flowers come in several different colors and petal shapes. The vines also produce an edible fruit that grows to the size of a chicken's egg.  The dried leaves of the Passion Flower have historically been used as a treatment for insomnia and epilepsy. 

Legend states that when placed in the house, the Passion Flower can calm problems and bring peace.  If placed under the pillow, it can bring sleep.  If carried by a person it attracts friends and brings popularity.

Although they are a common wildflower vine in my area of the United States, I was astonished to find such beauty in my own backyard.