Practical
Plants

Passiflora edulis

Passion Flower

an evergreen member of the Passiflora genus in the family Passifloraceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Foliage
evergreen
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
9 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked. An agreeable cooling taste[5][10][12][3], somewhat like an orange with a mixture of acid[11]. The ripe aromatic fruit is allowed to wrinkle and develop sweetness, it is then eaten raw, juiced, made into a syrup or used in sauces, cakes etc[4]. The fruit is about 5cm in diameter[6]. An edible oil is obtained from the seed[4].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Oil

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The pulp of the fruit is stimulant and tonic[8].

Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Tonic

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
S. America - Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 10+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow late winter or early spring in a warm greenhouse. If sown in January and grown on fast it can flower and fruit in its first year[13]. The seed germinates in 1 - 12 months at 20°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. It you are intending to grow the plants outdoors, it is probably best to keep them in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Mulch the roots well in late autumn to protect them from the cold. Cuttings of young shoots, 15cm with a heel, in spring[1]. Leaf bud cuttings in spring. Cuttings of fully mature wood in early summer. Takes 3 months. High percentage[10].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a well-drained soil with plenty of moisture in the growing season, otherwise it is not fussy[1][10]. Plants are not very frost tolerant and are best grown in a greenhouse[10]. However, the roots are somewhat hardier and can survive the winter outdoors in many areas of Britain if the soil is prevented from freezing[13]. If plants are cut down to the ground by frost they can regenerate from the base[6]. There is also the possibility of growing plants on rootstocks of P. caerulea which might make them hardier[6]. This species is often cultivated in warmer climes than Britain for its edible fruit, there are some named varieties[12][4]. The fruit can be freely produced in Britain in hot summers[2]. Roots of outdoor grown plants should be restricted to encourage fruiting[1]. Any pruning is best carried out in the spring[7]. If fruit is required it is best to hand pollinate, using pollen from a flower that has been open for 12 hours to pollinate a newly opened flower before midday[13][6]. The flowers open in sunny weather and do not open on dull cloudy days[7]. The flowers have the scent of heliotropes[9]. A climbing plant, attaching itself to other plants by means of tendrils that are produced at the leaf axils. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[6].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

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  3. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

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  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  7. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩1↩2

  8. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  9. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  10. Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit. David and Charles 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-7153-5531-7

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  12. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  13. RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

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