Passiflora mexicana

Mister Mesquitey tip toes out of  work and gets in some botanizing on a micro-vacation in the Dragoon Mountains.

Mexican Passionflower is almost always found climbing in trees or shrubs near a stream or  some source of water. The earth below large boulders and rock faces in the Dragoon Mountain retains water. It’s hidden water and a local plant like Mexican passionflower benefits. All three species of Passiflora found in Arizona are the larval food for Gulf Fritillary Butterflies, so they are great vines to have in a pollinator garden. Please don’t forget what “larval food” means. Caterpillars eat the plant! Be generous, the plant will recover and you will have butterflies all around your habitat. Pretty cool.