Passion vine, for the gulf fritillary butterfly

To the left of this passion flower a bud can be seen. These don't flower all that often and, when they do, the blooms are often way up in a tree, and there's no way of seeing that there has been a flower until the spent remains drop to the ground. To see this bloom in all its spectacular glory, click on the image.

The passion vines most often seen here in Austin produce flowers that are blue or purple. These were grown from seen that came from Thompson & Morgan. There is a greenish tinge to the waxy and white-ish flowers. The scene is sharp.

Gulf fritillary butterflies leave their eggs among the vines, and, once they're on the move, the larvae consume the leaves. They require passion vines, whether the wild Maypop or some other type. The gulf fritillary butterfly, especially when it's resident in clouds, is just as spectacular as the passion flower.