Monday, August 06, 2007

Ever eat a maypop?

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Most people here in the southeast probably have at least seen them growing. Maypops, or technically, the fruit of the Passion Flower vine are not quite as profligate as kudzu, but their flowers are more intricate and to some people prettier. Of course I'm a little biased in favor of the kudzu which smells better to me.

We have a few growing along the bank beside the drive way. This one is right beside where I get out of the pickup when I park.



The fruit has a sort of mild citrus taste, which I don't particularly like but many people do. They're best if eaten right after they fall off the vine, but you better pick them a little early or you'll find no maypops at all since many other small critters will get them first.




Whatever you call them, and they may grow in many parts of the country, they remind me of the South.

2 comments:

Jean said...

Pretty flower, but I think I'll stick with kudzu... heh.

k said...

Oh, I love passionflowers. The passionflower society is based close to my home, at Butterfly World.

I finally had to give up growing them because I can find no way out of the stink bug problem.