Did you know that one of the most stunning native plants in Goizueta Gardens has a history tied to early American botanical art?
Meet the Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)! This incredible vine is a powerhouse for local wildlife and the exclusive host plant for the striking Gulf Fritillary butterfly (Agraulis vanillae).
The passionflower’s unusual form encourages pollination. As eastern bumblebees reach for nectar, the flower’s elaborate structure dusts pollen onto the bee’s back, helping pollinate the next passionflower it visits.
In John Abbot and James Edward Smith’s landmark 1797 work, The Natural History of the Rarer Lepidopterous Insects of Georgia, Abbot beautifully captured this bond.
Meticulous illustrations, held at the Cherokee Garden Library, remind us that the stories in our library collections are alive and blooming right outside in our gardens.
Visit us to experience history both in print and in person! Watch Gulf Fritillaries flutter around the passionflower vines in the gardens, then discover centuries of botanical history in the library.