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| Photo Credit: David L. Morgan |
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Passiflora caerulea grows freely in my garden in heavy, clayey soils. |
Do you know the rich history behind passionflower? This lovely vine is a particular favorite around Easter, when Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus and gather to celebrate the risen Christ, finding symbolism in these spectacular flowers.
Passiflora is a genus of more than 400 species of mostly evergreen tendril climbers, including a few annuals, perennials, shrubs and even trees. They’re found in nature in mostly tropical or subtropical climes, in woodlands, on rocks and in grasslands. Their habitats include North, Central and South America, as well as tropical Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands. Suffice to say, you could find a Passiflora selection suitable to grow in your garden – and I daresay you’d be pleased to do so. I grow one on a simple trellis in mostly full sun, but I’ve noticed that the vine flowers in partial shade, too. It thrives in gummy clay, alkaline soils. It also grows rampantly, and I’ve found it popping up in nearby flower beds and climbing up my bur oak tree. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: David L. Morgan | | The fruit of the passion vine, called maypop, produces a nutritious juice. |
Mine’s called P. caerulea (although I’m not sure what its cultivar is). The flower has the distinguishing purple-, blue- and white-zoned coronas (those rings of fleshy filaments) of the species. I kind of like the blue, but you might prefer the lovely purple-, red- or white-flowering selections, which are also found in the trade.
It’s possible the commonly grown P. edulis (the edible passionflower and producer of passion fruit) is the species Spanish conquistadors came to use as symbols to teach Christianity to the indigenous people of the New World.
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| Warnings |
- In Florida and other locations with sandy soil, nematodes and fungi that invade the roots can be pest problems.
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| Tips |
- Passionflower is sold in containers of various sizes, but you can grow the plant yourself. Seed is available at garden centers and should be sown at 55-64 degrees F in spring or when the soil is warm. (Seed should be fresh, as it loses viability in storage.)
- Semihard cuttings can be taken in summer, and layering is done in spring or fall. For the more adventurous gardener, grafting onto hardy or nematode-resistant rootsock is successful.
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| Facts |
- The fruit of this vine is also called maypop, because it’s hollow and bursts open with a “pop!” when squeezed. Its juice is a good source of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and carotenoid (vitamin A). It’s consumed alone or considered an excellent additive to other fruit juices. The juice also used to make a good jelly, pie filling or cake frosting.
- Passiflora edulis (purple passion fruit), P. edulis f. flavicarpa (yellow passion fruit) and P. quadrangularis (giant granadilla) are the species grown for their fruit. They all perform best in a slightly acid soil, but yellow passion fruit tolerates alkaline soils.
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