Intro: Missionaries & History

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Passiflora is a genus of climbing plants (family Passifloraceae) remarkable for their intricate blossoms. Many species are native to Central and South America, while our featured species, Passiflora incarnata (maypop), is native to the southeastern United States and has long been used in North American herbal traditions. Spanish missionaries, arriving in the 16th century, saw in its purple and white blossoms a providential aid for teaching the mysteries of Christ’s Passion.

 

The first written account came from Nicolás Monardes, a Spanish physician and botanist. A drawing and description of the flower were later carried to Rome by Friar Emanuel de Villegas, an Augustinian from Mexico. This account captured the attention of Giacomo Bosio, historian of the Knights of Malta, then writing The Cross Triumphant. Although Bosio hesitated to include what he called “so stupendous a flower,” corroboration from other travelers persuaded him. His mention of the plant spread quickly across Europe.

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The introduction into Europe by 1625, passionflowers were being cultivated in Italy in the gardens of Cardinal Farnese, one of the foremost patrons of horticulture of his age. His physician and gardener, Aldinus of Cesena, described the plant with awe:

 

“This wonderful plant is sung by poets, celebrated by orators, reasoned out by philosophers, praised by physicians for its numberless virtues, wondered at by theologians, and venerated by all Christians.”

 

Aldinus also offered symbolic interpretations that became the foundation of Catholic devotion to the plant. Since Bosio had never personally seen the flower, Aldinus’s account is considered the more reliable.

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The spread to England

The first passionflower exhibited in England was brought from Virginia by colonial adventurers. Its beauty drew as much attention there as in Italy and Spain. English botanists admired it but were less receptive to its religious symbolism. Historical note: Early European writers used several names for passionflower; later, Linnaeus standardized the genus Passiflora. (Some early sources credit John Tradescant with the phrase “Amaracock sive Clematis Virginiana.”)  

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Symbolism of the Passion

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Missionaries and theologians found in every detail of the flower a reminder of Christ’s Passion:

• The central column — the Cross.

• The three stigmas — the nails.

• The corona of filaments — the crown of thorns.

• The five anthers — the five wounds.

• Purple hues — the robe of mockery; white petals — the purity of Christ.

• The vine’s clinging habit — humanity’s dependence on Divine support.

• Its resilience after cutting — the soul’s renewal in the Resurrection.

 

Through this symbolism, the flower became known to Spaniards as La Flor de las Cinco Llagas, The Flower of the Five Wounds.

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Traditional Use

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Long before it received its Christian name, Indigenous peoples of the Americas prepared Passionflower to calm the spirit, ease discomfort, and bring rest. In time, European herbalists adopted it as a gentle nervine, praising its ability to quiet sleeplessness and agitation. Through centuries, Passionflower carried a reputation for humility, peace, and healing. The gifts flowing from the Creator’s providence.

 

Cultural and Religious Use

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For church decoration, the passionflower was soon considered a worthy companion to the rose and the lily. In the 19th century, it became especially popular in memorial symbolism. A wreath of passionflowers was laid, at the request of Queen Victoria, on the tomb of President Abraham Lincoln. The flower is also regarded as appropriate for All Saints’ Day.

 

Victorian and Edwardian church art made frequent use of it in stained glass, ironwork, and mural decoration. It still graces the choir screens of the cathedrals of Lichfield and Hereford.

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Literary Echoes

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Poets and hymn writers were deeply moved by the flower’s symbolism. S. F. Smith wrote:

They called the purple circlet, there,

The crown of thorns ’twas His to wear;

And every leaf seemed to their eye

Memorial of His agony.

 

Sir Aubrey de Vere reflected:

Art thou a type of beauty, or of power,

Of sweet enjoyment, or disastrous sin?

For each thy name denoteth, passion flower.

Oh, no! thy pure corolla’s depths within

We trace a holier symbol; yes, a sign

’Twixt God and man;

It is the Cross!

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​​​A  Personal Note from the founder of Sanctus Apothecary:

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For me, Passionflower has always been more than a medicinal herb. Every time I see it, I remember the scene in The Passion of the Christ when the crown of thorns is pressed onto Our Lord’s head and He is mocked. That moment always moves me to tears. To know that God has revealed Christ’s Passion not only in Scripture, but even hidden in a flower, that others before me, like those missionaries, saw this too and that confirms the vision of Sanctus Apothecary. This is why Passionflower is my logo, my favorite herb, and the “official herb” of Sanctus Apothecary: it embodies the message I want my work to proclaim, that faith and creation are inseparably intertwined, pointing us back to our Redeemer. The passionflower is not only an herbal ally for rest and calm but also a spiritual emblem. Its blossoms testify to Christ’s Passion, its resilience to His Resurrection, and its beauty to the revelation of God through creation. By sharing this flower’s story, faithfully recorded by missionaries, botanists, poets, and Catholic writers.

We honor both its healing virtues and its enduring role in Christian devotion.

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What’s inside (and how it may work)

• Key constituents (Passiflora incarnata): Flavonoids (notably vitexin, isovitexin, orientin, isoorientin, plus apigenin/chrysin derivatives), phenolic acids, and small amounts of other phenolics; trace β‑carboline alkaloids (e.g., harmane/harmine) are reported variably and typically at very low levels.

• GABAergic modulation (preclinical): Extracts can enhance GABA_A currents, inhibit GABA uptake, and interact with GABA receptors. Some studies suggest benzodiazepine‑site involvement, others do not, indicating multi‑constituent, multi‑target actions rather than a single mechanism.

• Takeaway: The calming effect likely reflects several flavonoids acting together on the GABA system, with mixed lab findings, helpful for context, but not a proven clinical mechanism.

 

Safety & interactions 

• Generally well‑tolerated short‑term (tea up to ~1 week; standardized extracts up to ~8 weeks in trials). The most common effects are drowsiness, dizziness, and confusion.

• Sedation add‑ons: May increase drowsiness if combined with alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, sedating antihistamines, opioids, or other CNS depressants.

• Surgery: Because of potential additive sedation, avoid within ~2 weeks of scheduled surgery unless your clinician advises otherwise.

• Pregnancy/lactation: Avoid in pregnancy (possible uterine stimulation); insufficient data for breastfeeding, consult your clinician.

• Liver: Not associated with clinically apparent liver injury in available data.

• Stop and seek care for allergic reaction or if symptoms persist/worsen.

 

Modern Research

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Sleep

• Tea, 1 week (2011): Passionflower tea improved subjective sleep quality in healthy adults with mild sleep complaints. (PubMed Study)

• Extract, 2 weeks (2020): Standardized passionflower extract increased total sleep time vs placebo; other sleep measures were mixed but trended better within the active group. (PubMed Study)

• Extract, 12 weeks (2024): In stressed adults with poor sleep, passionflower improved sleep quality and stress scores vs placebo. (PubMed Study)

 

Anxiety 

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), 4 weeks (2001): Passionflower extract showed comparable anxiety reduction to oxazepam with less job‑performance impairment. (PubMed Study)

• GAD, add‑on (2016): As an adjunct therapy, passionflower improved symptoms with low side‑effect burden (pilot). (PMC Study)

• Pre‑op anxiety (ambulatory surgery, 2008): 500 mg oral passionflower reduced anxiety vs placebo without delaying discharge or impairing psychomotor recovery. (PubMed Study)

• Before spinal anesthesia (2012): Oral passionflower suppressed the rise in pre‑spinal anxiety without added sedation or hemodynamic changes. (PubMed Study)

• Dental extraction (2017): Passionflower provided anxiolysis comparable to midazolam for third‑molar surgery. (PubMed Study) (PMC Study)

• Periodontal treatment (2013): Premedication with passionflower significantly reduced dental anxiety vs placebo and no‑treatment controls. (PubMed Study) (PMC Study)

• Dental extraction, triple‑blind (2024): Passionflower reduced state anxiety vs placebo during third‑molar extraction (head‑to‑head with valerian also positive). (PubMed Study)

• Dental extraction, split‑mouth crossover (2021): Passionflower again lowered pre‑surgical anxiety, performing similarly to midazolam. (PubMed Study)

 

Withdrawal

• Opioid withdrawal (2001): As an adjunct to clonidine, passionflower improved mental symptoms of withdrawal vs clonidine alone (physical symptoms similar). (PubMed Study)

 

Overviews

• Systematic review (2020): Across clinical studies, passionflower generally reduced anxiety, with benefits most evident in higher‑anxiety contexts; safety profile favorable. (PubMed Study)

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Source

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I am so excited to share that this herb profile has a lot of text reference from a document over 100 years old. This profile is largely derived from an article first printed in The Catholic Telegraph, April 17, 1924, which preserved the rich history and symbolism of the passionflower for the Catholic faithful. I will attach the piece of history below the closing reflection.

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Closing Reflection

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In Passionflower, the Creator has given us a bloom that preaches the Passion, brings peace to the restless, and reminds us that His hand is in every detail of nature. It is both sign and gift, symbol and sacrament, where faith and science meet in harmony.

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The Catholic Telegraph, Volume LXXXIII, Number 16, 17 April 1924