The second installment of "Why I love my Bicycle Commute!" involves the (formerly) overgrown yard of an abandoned house. I say formerly, because, sadly, the yard has since been mowed and cleaned up. Sadly? Yes...
This yard was covered in wild Passion Flower vines...
These amazingly beautiful flowers were everywhere...
even over the concrete driveway...
Passion Flowers are a Florida native plant and grow wild here...
Their fruit, Pssion Fruit, are edible and put in teas, yogurts, etc. My dad grew up calling them Maypops. They grow wild in Georgia too. I'll get pictures of the fruit when they are on the vine.
They are the larval host for the Gulf Fritillary butterfly.
The females lay their eggs on the leaves and when they hatch, the caterpillars eat the leaves. See her in there laying her eggs?
I was upset when I saw that the yard had been mowed and cleaned up. Only the vine covered bush in the middle of the yard remained. At least it is still there and the vines are thriving on it... They are very persistent (Is that why some call them weeds?) and will be back next summer...
Passion Flowers are a Florida native plant and grow wild here...
