Passion Flower

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I am new to this group. I have enjoyed lurking for the last couple of days and reading all the great messages. I wonder if anyone knows about passion flower. What is the best way to prepare it? Is it the flower or other parts that are useful? I have a lot of it growing here and have just made tea with the whole fresh flower chopped. Can I dry it?

 

Thanks for any information,

 

Bob

[Guest guest]

> Robert Walton wrote:

> I am new to this group. I have enjoyed lurking for the last couple of

> days and reading all the great messages. I wonder if anyone knows

> about passion flower. What is the best way to prepare it? Is it the

> flower or other parts that are useful? I have a lot of it growing here

> and have just made tea with the whole fresh flower chopped. Can I dry

> it?

 

Hi, Robert. Passionflower (one the most medicinal ones is Passiflora

incarnata - which grows wild in the southern U.S. - I have to grow mine

in a pot and bring it into the sunroom in the winter) can be dried. I

tincture most of my passionflower and I usually just use the leaves but

you can use all the aerial parts if you want. You can also make a tea

but it won't be as strong as the tincture. There are many species that

aren't medicinal (and there are 400 species) and I have read but have

been unable to confirm that some species have flowers that are somewhat

toxic. So until I find out for sure, I just use the Passiflora

incarnata (as a sedative). I have a photo of P. incarnata on my website

if you need to identify one of the medicinal ones:

http://www.mycountrygarden.net/HGarden/HAZ/az.html .................Joan

 

*************************

joanr

My Country Garden

http://mycountrygarden.net

[Guest guest]

Thanks,

 

Yours looks like mine, so I think it must be the same species. I just grow it on a fence, cause I am in South Florida. So I guess that it is not just the flower, but also the leaves that are used. Or is one or the other more powerful?

 

I am something of an herbal newbie, have information on making a tincture, should I dry the leaves/flowers first?

 

Bob

Hi, Robert. Passionflower (one the most medicinal ones is Passifloraincarnata - which grows wild in the southern U.S. - I have to grow minein a pot and bring it into the sunroom in the winter) can be dried. Itincture most of my passionflower and I usually just use the leaves butyou can use all the aerial parts if you want. You can also make a teabut it won't be as strong as the tincture. There are many species thataren't medicinal (and there are 400 species) and I have read but havebeen unable to confirm that some species have flowers that are somewhattoxic. So until I find out for sure, I just use the Passifloraincarnata (as a sedative). I have a photo of P. incarnata on my websiteif you need to identify one of the medicinal ones: http://www.mycountrygarden.net/HGarden/HAZ/az.html .................Joan*************************joanrMy Country Gardenhttp://mycountrygarden.net

[Guest guest]

Robert Walton wrote:

 

> Yours looks like mine, so I think it must be the same species. I just grow

> it on a fence, cause I am in South Florida. So I guess that it is not just

> the flower, but also the leaves that are used. Or is one or the other more

> powerful?

 

All the aerial parts (above ground parts) are used and I have never

heard of one being more powerful than any other part of the passionflower.

 

> I am something of an herbal newbie, have information on making a tincture,

> should I dry the leaves/flowers first?

 

That is a matter of opinion too, fresh is probably better but dried is

good too! Curious to know how the (fresh?) flower tasted in a tea? I

have used the leaves in a tea with other herbs, but not alone.....

 

Passionflower I use in a tincture blend for when I don't sleep well

which is rare these days. Passionflower is used specifically for the

" chattering " brain that prevents sleep......................Joan

 

*************************

joanr

My Country Garden

http://mycountrygarden.net

[Guest guest]

Joan,

 

The fresh flower made the tea a nice lavender color and tasted great. I slept great that night. I have the "brain chatter" problem sometimes... Thanks for your help!

 

Bob

 

That is a matter of opinion too, fresh is probably better but dried isgood too! Curious to know how the (fresh?) flower tasted in a tea? Ihave used the leaves in a tea with other herbs, but not alone.....Passionflower I use in a tincture blend for when I don't sleep wellwhich is rare these days. Passionflower is used specifically for the"chattering" brain that prevents sleep......................Joan