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in the annals of bizarre blooms, the passionflower, with its waxy petals and spiky ruff, stands out. But as a symbol, it’s even stranger. Forget the amorous implications of its name. To Spanish Jesuits who tagged along to the New World with the conquistadors, the flower’s odd parts bespoke the agonies of Jesus: The spiked corona was his crown-of-thorns, the sepals and petals his apostles, the three stigmas the nails and the five stamens his wounds.

While such an icon might overburden the average garden, it’s easy to forget its meaning as lobed green leaves and curling tendrils creep poetically along a fence and the amazing blooms start to open in the sun. Not just its forms but its colors are unexpected--pink and lavender crowned with purple; blue with violet and greenish-white; red with purple; red with mottled pink.

Native to tropical areas in North, South and Central America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, passion vines (passiflora) are among several hundred species of annual and perennial climbers, trees and shrubs. Many, such as these from the Ventura garden of Bob Holzinger, thrive in Southern California, where, in sunny spots with moderate water, they can grow 20 feet and more a year. Some, such as P. alatocaerulea, have scented blooms. Others (P. caerulea and P. edulis, for example) produce fruit, which, not surprisingly, is rather odd in itself, with a green, yellow or even purple exterior and perhaps an orange or yellow heart crammed with vibrant, slimy seeds.

Though passiflora isn’t choosy about soil, it needs support--a sturdy arbor or trellis--and a good cutback each year. Plant it from seed in spring or cuttings in summer, watch it carefully for caterpillars and, come June, expect those funny buds to pop.