As the weather warms and summer beckons, the landscape reshapes daily. New blooms pop out and are soon followed by fruit, seeds or nuts.
Some are useful to the human residents, but many are eaten by insects. As with people, there are some bugs that are picky about their meals.
Panhandle Florida has some native insect residents which have a desire for specific plants. Monarch butterflies are one such species, but another is the Gulf Fritillary.
The object of its dining obsession is the Passion Flower. Passiflora incarnata, as it is scientifically known, is a fast-growing perennial vine and commonly known as passion flower with a fruit sometimes called a maypop.
Maypops have emerged and are blending into the green background. Soon the vines will produce colorful flowers with intricate complexity. They quickly climb tomato cages or any other available structure.
The vine is found in sunny areas, but will not grow in heavy shade. Untended fence rows, ditches and fallow fields are sites where this vine is frequently encountered.
The large bloom is complex and hypnotic with a multitude of shapes and angles within the structure. These blossoms are attached to the climbing or trailing stems, but are found on the ground when there is nothing on which to climb.
The flower’s hue ranges from purple to near flesh color. The term incarnata, in the scientific name of this local wildflower, means flesh-colored in Latin.
This dazzling regional native has been appreciated by many cultures. The Cherokee term for this bloom is Ocoee. This identifier lives on in Tennessee where the Ocoee River and the Ocoee Valley are still associated with this plant.
The passion flower vines begin producing fruit in mid-summer called a maypop. The maypop is green and approximately the size of a large lime, but it turns yellow as it matures.
The interior of the fruit is white with abundant white seeds about the same size and shape of watermelon seeds. Historically, colonial settlers and the indigenous natives before them have eaten the raw maypops and used them in a variety of culinary applications.
Additionally, the maypops have been used in an assortment of folk medicine formulas. While there has been some basic research into its medicinal properties, its most soothing use is to simply enjoy the blooms.
The passion flower vine plays a very important role with some of north Florida’s insect residents. It, and other less common passion flower varieties, is the exclusive host plant for the Gulf Fritillary butterfly’s caterpillar and is a major food source for the Variegated Fritillary’s caterpillar.
The Gulf Fritillary caterpillar is bright orange and covered with rows of medium length black spines. The spines are soft to the touch and do not sting, but if eaten the larva is toxic.
Gulf Fritillary butterflies are a muted orange with a large silver spot on the underside of each wing. They are noted for their ability to traverse the Gulf of Mexico and travel as far as Argentina.
Gulf Fritillary butterflies have been able to expand their range because of the cultivation of passion flower varieties by the environmentally concerned. Luckily, this region has plenty occurring naturally to feed the abundant population of these colorful insects.
The maypops support the fritillaries, and both add vibrant color to the region.
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