Common throughout the southeastern United States, this purple-fringed flower grows as a weedy vine in open fields and thickets. The blooms appear in mid-summer and are followed in late summer by a yellow lemon-shaped fruit that makes a popping sound when stepped upon. The fruit is edible and was a favorite of Native Americans. May-pop and wild apricot are other regional names for the Passionflower. In Tennessee, school children who enjoyed popping the fruit, selected the Passionflower as the State Wildflower. At that time, Tennessee was still a largely rural state and May-pops were a familiar summer flower. Jesuits named the flower Passionflower, believing each of the flower's parts related to the crucifixion or passion of Christ. The 10 petal-like parts represent the 10 loyal disciples, excluding Peter and Judas. The 5 stamens are the wounds, the 3 stigmas the nails, the ovary the hammer and the fringe the crown of thorns. At Owl's Hill the Passionflower can be seen throughout the orchard and thicket areas.
