Nature Field Guide
Scarlet Passionflower
- Spanish name
- Pasiflora roja
- Scientific name
- Passiflora vitifolia
What Do Pico & Tati Think?
Pico wants to sketch the plant’s shapes. Tati suggests looking for three clues before guessing its name. What would you notice first?
Species overview
About the Scarlet Passionflower
Scarlet passionflower is a climbing vine with vivid red flowers and curling tendrils. Three-lobed leaves are another useful clue. Hummingbirds pollinate the flowers, and the complex flower center rewards a close look from the trail.
Identification
Key Features of the Scarlet Passionflower
Vivid red flowers
Three-lobed leaves
Curling tendrils on climbing stems
Habitat & range
Moist forest edges and secondary vegetation.
Local observations
ACG documents Guanacaste. Museum specimens document Corcovado, La Cangreja, Talamanca, Tortuguero and Sarapiqui. Tags reflect documented regional connections and are not an exhaustive distribution map.
When to observe
Visit in daylight and compare leaves, flowers and fruits. Flowering and fruiting vary by place, weather and individual plant; a plant may not be in bloom during your visit.
Conservation & care
Observe from paths and leave leaves, bark, flowers and fruits attached. Do not taste wild plants or offer them to pets. Ask a knowledgeable guide to confirm the species.
Observation activity
Draw one leaf and one other feature without picking anything. Compare your sketch with the illustration and record whether you saw flowers, fruits or neither.
Explore by location
Caribbean · Central Pacific · Guanacaste · Northern Plains · South Pacific