Passionflower
Passiflora incarnata
Calming vine for sleep and anxiety
Moderate evidenceAbout Passionflower
Passionflower is a beautiful climbing vine with intricate flowers, traditionally used by Native Americans and later European herbalists to promote relaxation. Its calming properties make it a popular choice for supporting occasional sleeplessness and nervous tension.
Key benefits
- May help promote restful sleep and ease occasional insomnia
- Traditionally used to calm nervous tension and worry
- Known for its gentle, non-habit forming properties
- May support relaxation without causing drowsiness during the day
How to use
Steep 1-2 teaspoons of dried passionflower in hot water for 10 minutes, or take as a tincture or capsule as directed, especially in the evening.
Did you know?
Spanish missionaries named this plant 'passionflower' in the 16th century because they saw religious symbolism in its bloom—the corona represented Christ's crown of thorns, the five stamens symbolized his wounds, and the three stigmas represented the nails.
Research
Ngan & Conduit, Phytother Res, 2011 — Double-blind RCT on sleep; Akhondzadeh et al., J Clin Pharm Ther, 2001 — RCT in generalised anxiety