Passion fruit is the edible fruit of the passion flower. Spanish explorers coined the name passion fruit in honor of the passion of Christ. For them, the appearance of the passion flower symbolized many Christian beliefs. Passion fruit is also called parcha, markisa and konyal.

There are two types of passion fruit, purple passion fruit and yellow passion fruit, which differ in appearance but taste the same. One is about the size of a large egg, oval shaped with a purple-brown skin. The other is quite a bit larger, round and about the size of an orange. This type is bright yellow on the outside. Both contain a jelly like pulp inside with hundreds of small black seeds.

Passion fruit by itself tends to taste tart. It is usually used with other types of fruit in recipes to lighten its tangy taste. Passion fruit, as well as its flower, are known for their aromatic scent. Because of its sweet smelling fragrance, passion fruit is sometimes added to food simply to enhance its aroma.

Passion fruit is popular in gourmet cooking. It is used in many desserts, such as passion fruit-mango mousse and passion fruit brulee. Some jams are made of passion fruit. Passion fruit is also used in main dishes, such as lobster with passion fruit butter sauce. Juice, punch, liqueurs and cocktails have a tropical flair when made with passion fruit.

Passion fruit grows on a vine in its native tropical and subtropical regions. Commercially, it is grown in Brazil, the Caribbean, Australia, Africa and some areas of the southern United States. Because of the beauty of its flowers and the high demand for the fruit, passion fruit is successfully cultivated in native as well as non-native areas.

Passion fruit has hundreds of medicinal properties that have been used throughout history. The natural chemicals in passion fruit are used to lower blood pressure, control spasms and treat asthma. The fruit and its leaves also work as a sedative, helping to induce sleep and calm nervousness or other mood disorders. Modern science has observed that passion fruit extracts can kill cancer cells in developing fetuses. Passion fruit is also thought to expel worms, kill bacteria and enhance the libido.