Passiflora or Passion flower (this is a hybrid “Star of Bristol” created in 1987 by John Vanderplank, UK) got it name from descriptions of it flower parts supplied by priest in “New Spain" (South America). The descriptions were interpreted in 1609 in Rome as representing various elements of the Crucifixion, five petal and five sepals (the ten disciples, minus Judas & Peter): outer fringe (the crown of thorns); five stamens (number of wounds Christ received and knob-like stigmas of the pistil (the nails). This symbolism is not universal. Introduced to Europe from South America in the Eighteenth Century. Most passiflora are vines. Photo taken October 30, 2005 on King Street, Charleston South Carolina. © L. Laskowski 2005

Passiflora or Passion flower (this is a hybrid “Star of Bristol” created in 1987 by John Vanderplank, UK) got it name from descriptions of it flower parts supplied by priest in “New Spain" (South America). The descriptions were interpreted in 1609 in Rome as representing various elements of the Crucifixion, five petal and five sepals (the ten disciples, minus Judas & Peter): outer fringe (the crown of thorns); five stamens (number of wounds Christ received and knob-like stigmas of the pistil (the nails). This symbolism is not universal. Introduced to Europe from South America in the Eighteenth Century. Most passiflora are vines. Photo taken October 30, 2005 on King Street, Charleston South Carolina. © L. Laskowski 2005