Texas Natives – October, 2007

Maypop

Passiflora incarnata

Maypop Passiflora incarnata is one of the hardiest
passionflower vines native to Texas and much of the United
States. Maypop quickly turns a chain link fence into a
living wall, adorned with showy purple flowers, edible
fruit and butterflies! This vine is a prized host species
for Gulf Fritillary and Variegated Fritillary butterflies.
So when you see spiny orange, black and silver striped
caterpillars among the leaves, congratulate yourself for
providing a nursery for butterflies babies.

For more on this plant, and to see what’s happening at
Texas Discovery Gardens this month, go to
http://www.texasdiscoverygardens.org/texasnatives.htm.

About the author: Tina Dombrowski is the Director of
Horticulture at Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park,
Dallas. She has a particular interest in Texas native
plants, butterflies, pollinating insects and their interconnected
histories.