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Definition

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a vine whose leaves and flowers are widely used in Europe to make a herbal remedy for anxiety and insomnia. The plant, which is native to the tropical regions of North America, was first used by the Aztecs of Mexico as a folk remedy for these conditions. Passionflower is also known as maypop, apricot vine, passion vine, and granadilla. It grows as much as 30 ft (10 m) tall, with a thick, woody stem.

Passionflower received its name from the sixteenth-century conquistadors who claimed Mexico for the Spanish Empire. The priests and soldiers who accompanied Hernando Cortez thought that the whitish-purple flowers of the vine symbolized certain features of the passion of Christ. The corona in the center of the flower reminded them of...