While walking this summer a flower that I really enjoyed photographing was the Passion Flower.
I just found it to be an interesting looking flower. This winter my goal is to look through my photos and learn about the flowers I have photographed. The Botanical name is Passiflora incarnate L.
It's plant family is Passifloraceae.
When I can I like to photograph the different stages of a flower as it blooms.
I'm always amazed at the transformation of the flower bud to the actual flower in bloom.
I have a book idea that I hope to work on this winter.
The Passion Flower is a vine flower.
Here it is just starting to open.
I found an interesting history of how it got its name.
The story goes that in 1569 in Peru, Nicolas Monardes ( discovered) this plant.
It eventually made it into the hands of Spanish missionaries who saw the flower as a physical
representation of the crucifixion of Christ. The three stigmas represented the
'nails of the crucifixion', the coronal filaments were the 'crown of thorns', the five stamens were the wounds, and the ten sepals were representative of ten of the Saviors disciples. The missionaries used this flower as a teaching tool to tell the story of Christ.
People have used this plant as a magical charm to attract friendships and to bring peace,
the leaves can be placed in a house to illicit harmony and lessen discord.
I also like to learn about the Victorian era meaning of flowers. It used to be
if you gave flowers to someone you could be sending them a secret message.
The two meanings I found are:
Faith
and
Mourning over the death of a loved one.
Here is a photo of the flower in a potted plant arrangement.
I look forward to learning more about flowers this winter as I await spring and
the gardens opening again. Although I have found a year round garden that
I plan to visit this winter.
Do you have a favorite flower?
G.G.
Websites about this flower:
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