Purple passion flower is a fast growing perennial vine that employs tendrils to grab hold of adjacent shrubs, structure and other supports to lift itself to heights of 8-12 ft The large serrated leaves grow 5-6 in wide by 6 to 8 in long. They typically have three to five lobes and are arranged alternately on the stem with flowers and branches emerging from the axil. All of the passion flowers have beautifully complex blossoms and Purple passion flower is no exception. These have 2-3 in diameters and are composed of 10 white tepals arranged in a shallow bowl shape above which is arranged fringe of purple and white filaments, called the corona. In the center is the white fleshy stigma surrounded by five stamens. Purple passion flower is native to southeastern United States. Passionflower was first "discovered" in Peru by a Spanish doctor named Monardes in 1569 who documented the indigenous uses and took it back to the Old World where it quickly became a favorite calming and sedative herb tea.