Practical
Plants

Passiflora herbertiana

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Taxonomy and growth

Height
9 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[4]. The fruit is up to 7cm long and has a fragrant pulp[4].

Plant part
Fruit

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
Australia - New South Wales and Queensland.
Habitat
Along the edges of rainforests and partly cleared areas[4][5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

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[7]. 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[6].

Cultivation

Requires a well-drained soil with plenty of moisture in the growing season, otherwise it is not fussy[1][6]. Plants are not very frost tolerant and are best grown in a greenhouse[6]. However, the roots are somewhat hardier and can survive the winter outdoors if the soil is prevented from freezing[7]. If plants are cut down to the ground by frost they can regenerate from the base[2]. Roots of outdoor grown plants should be restricted to encourage fruiting[1]. Any pruning is best carried out in the spring[3]. If fruit is required, especially when the plant is grown indoors, 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[7][2]. The flowers open in sunny weather and do not open on dull cloudy days[3]. 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[2].

References

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2

  4. Vanderplank. J. Passion Flowers Cassell. London. 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-304-34076-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0730104001

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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