Edible Articles: Passiflora

Fields: Passion Fruit | Hot to grow passionfruit?? | how to germinate passionfruit? | Passion Vine | passion vine2 | Passionfruit | Question about Passiflora incarnata

Passion Fruit

From: LindsyDeal (lindsydeal@aol.com)
Subject: Passion Fruit
Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.fruit
Date: 1996/09/17

I have several two year old passion fruit vines that are full of blooms but no fruit has set as of yet. The blooms fall off after about 3 to 4 days. Last year I had one fruit from approx. 50 blooms. Any suggestions to get the fruit to set?
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From: Timothy A. Skimina (t-skimina@nwu.edu)
Subject: Re: Passion Fruit
Newsgroups: sci.agriculture.fruit
Date: 1996/09/17

What Passiflora sp. do you have? You might try to cross pollinate (by hand) two different clones or seedlings. Most Passiflora sp. are self incompatible. Do you have the plants outdoors where bees or other pollinators can get to the flowers? Let me know if this helps.

Tim...

-- Timothy A. Skimina Northwestern University t-skimina@nwu.edu
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Hot to grow passionfruit??

From: D J (paratime@ix.netcom.com)
Subject: Hot to grow passionfruit??
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/07/15

I have some passionfruit seeds, and I was just wondering what is the best way to grow them? Are there any special requirements? Do they grow well in a pot indoors?

Thanks.
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From: Robert Beer (bbeer@u.washington.edu)
Subject: Re: Hot to grow passionfruit??
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/07/20

To start them, plant them just below the surface of the soil mix, keep moist and warm, and have lots of patience. Fresh seed usually germinates very uniformly and quickly (i.e. 4-5 weeks, quick for passionvines). Older seed may take months, but you will usually get some within a couple months or so.

The vines need full bright sun. If you grow them inside, you will need to put them in an unobstructed south window for real success. I have grown several tender varieties outdoors during the summer, bringing in the pots in the winter; P. edulis can take cool temperatures but not freezing. (The one you get at the store is P. edulis). They will really grow much better outside.

To get good fruit production, the flowers must be cross pollinated. You can grow two different plants from seed and you will get pollination. Pollinate the flowers late in the morning for best results. If it rains, that day's work is lost, but there will be more flowers the next day. You don't say where you are, but if you are in a frost-free zone you can grow the plants permanently outdoors. Another species, P. caerulea, or blue passionflower, has a beautiful bloom but tasteless fruit. However, it makes a good pollinator and is often used in the trade to pollinate P. edulis blooms. Of course, fruit you would get from the seedlings of this cross would be inferior, if the plants were fertile in the first place. (some Passiflora crosses are, some aren't, and somehave tricky pollination requirements). P. incarnata is one of our two native Passiflora species, and is deciduous and very hardy; it dies to the ground each fall and comes up in spring. It has delicious fruit with a very thin papery shell. Though it does spread by runners, it is still a beautiful plant and worth growing for the fruit.

Bob
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how to germinate passionfruit?

From: Sambo (sacharof@accessone.com)
Subject: how to germinate passionfruit?
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Date: 1996/06/17

Hi,

I have some passionfruit (Passiflora edulis) seeds that I'd like to germinate. How deep should I sow them, and how long do they take to germinate (at 75-80F)? Do plants grown from seed produce good fruit?

I also have Guava (Psidium guajava) and Papaya (Carica papaya). Any tips for germinating these?

Thanks for any help, Sambo sacharof@accessone.com
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From: Helen+Paul (nahrunh@citec.qld.gov.au)
Subject: Re: how to germinate passionfruit?
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Date: 1996/06/20

Hi there Sambo,

Here in Brisbane and surrounding areas GUAVA (Psidium guajava) has naturalized somewhat and it doesn't seem to need any particular encouragement to germinate. Clean the flesh off before sowing, and keep warm if possible.

PAW PAW (Carica papaya) is also one for doing its own sprouting, all through the compost heap!! Again clean the flesh off, allow to dry a bit and then sow it (warmth would help).

PASSIONFRUIT (Passiflora edulis) should also be reasonably easy although I've always bought grafted ones from the nursery. Follow the same process as above. One general rule of thumb for depth of sowing seeds is "two times the seed diameter" another is "one times the seed diameter". Try somewhere in the middle and they'll be fine.

Mix to use should be quite fine (no chunks of bark, soil, clay) and contain organic matter to hold moisture. Roughly equal parts of peat, sand, perlite (vary proportions to suit) normally does OK.

Best wishes,

Paul Kristiansen Dept. of Natural Resources Brisbane, Australia
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From: Gilles Guerin (guerin@portos.cea.fr)
Subject: Re: how to germinate passionfruit?
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Date: 1996/06/21

I have experienced to soak psidium seeds in liquid nitrogen. This helps germination.(dormancy in this case is likely to be due to seed hard coating and thermal shock is an alternative to manual scarification). Passiflora edulis is often grafted or propagated by cuttings, but you can have nice passionfruit by seedling. Psidium must be grafted (many cultivars do exist in subtropics), direct seedlings generally lead to small and full of seeds guayavas. Papaya can be propagated by seeds but you must use an old stable cultivar to be sure of what you'll get (same general problem as for vegetables). Direct seedling from unkown variety will raise problems of fertility and you may get really bad-tasted papaya (taste can be so awful you won't be willing to eating your crop, if any)
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Passion Vine

From: Awung (awung@aol.com)
Subject: Passion Vine
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/04/19

I've saw a really neat picture of this vine in the new Gardens Ill. Magazine and am thinking about getting one to put on my SW patio. Has anyone grown this plant before and is it just as exotic as it looks? Email me at AWUNG@AOL.COM Thanks :)
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From: Alice Ramirez (aramirez@agsm.ucla.edu)
Subject: Re: Passion Vine
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/04/19

All the passion vines have wonderful flowers. The best (in my biased opinion) also produce fruit. Passiflora edulis produces the fruits you find for sale in markets. P. careulea is a horrible rampant weed where I live in Los Angeles. Invasive from the roots, grows easily from the seeds, it is a royal pain. Once, when I was neglecting my garden because I was involved in too many other things, I suddenly noticed that the damn things had eaten a tree and covered my old garage. I am constantly uprooting the nasty things. Since I hate the idea of herbicides, I will probably NEVER get rid of it. They are known to grow well in containers as long as they are fertilized and watered adequately. Actually better if you get a species with an invasive root system. Of course, if you live in a cold winter area, you don't have to worry because they'll die over winter if you don't bring them in.

I can't remember the botanical name offhand, but there is a fairly hardy type of passionfruit or passionfruit vine relative, called a "maypop" that grows in colder places like Georgia. It must be a fairly close relative if it's not actually a Passiflora, because I recall reading a few years back about USDA ARS research where someone was trying to breed maypops with some very frost-tender species of Passiflora in the hope of extending the growing range of commercial passionfruit. They couldn't do that unless there was some relationship.
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From: Bob Beer (bbeer@u.washington.edu)
Subject: Re: Passion Vine
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/04/21

In article <3n3us9$9lb@risc.agsm.ucla.edu>, Alice Ramirez <aramirez@agsm.ucla.edu> wrote:

>All the passion vines have wonderful flowers. The best (in my biased
>opinion) also produce fruit.
>you find for sale in markets. P. careulea is a horrible rampant weed
>where I live in Los Angeles. Invasive from the roots, grows easily
>from the seeds, it is a royal pain.

In colder areas, it tends to get killed back to the roots every year, and the seeds don't usually survive. It does send up suckers however, sometimes a considerable distance from the plant. I pull up about 10 a year from my vine, which is climbing up the side of the house.

>nasty things. Since I hate the idea of herbicides, I will probably
>NEVER get rid of it.

You will never get rid of it. If it thrives, it is then too late. :)

>I can't remember the botanical name offhand, but there is a fairly
>hardy type of passionfruit or passionfruit vine relative, called a
>"maypop" that grows in colder places like Georgia.

It is a Passiflora, P. incarnata. It is deciduous, and dies to the ground in the winter. It is *very* hardy, and thrives all the way up the east coast. The fruit is delicious and has a thin papery shell. It does have the common Passiflora habit of suckering. You can buy the plant from Northwoods Nursery in Oregon. Expect it to sulk for a season or so, and then take off like a house afire. Once it does this, you have it for good. You need two plants to set fruit reliably, and some sources say that the best fruit is set when another species from the same section of the genus is the pollinizer. P. caerulea works very well.

>It must be a fairly close
>relative if it's not actually a Passiflora, because I recall reading a
>few years back about USDA ARS research where someone was trying to
>breed maypops with some very frost-tender species of Passiflora in the
>hope of extending the growing range of commercial passionfruit. They
>couldn't do that unless there was some relationship.

They have done it; the result is P. incarnata x cincinnata, and the cultivar is called "Incense." It is a wonderfully beautiful flower, about five inches wide, with the wavy filaments of both the parents, but with a deep purple color and a delicious fragrance. The fruit is also supposedly good but I am just now planting it out this summer. It tends to be deciduous in colder climates but in warmer areas retains its leaves. Incidentally, P. incarnata is often described as having a delicious fragrance, but I would describe it is "interesting" at most. The particular variety that grows around Arkansas where my mom lives smells kind of like beef jerky. Interesting. Not a fragrance I would wear.

Bob
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passion vine2

From: bmundt@mundt.sc.tic.com (bmundt@mundt.sc.tic.com)
Subject: passion vine2
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/07/13

Howdy, Anybody know of a vine called "passion vine"? I've got a few growing and I'm just wondering when they are supposed to bloom and what type of soil and care they like. I've seen one at the Dallas Arboretum and it had large and intricate purple flowers.

Thanks for any assistance. Bill Mundt
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From: Richard Campbell (richc@phantom.pac.sc.ti.com)
Subject: Re: passion vine2
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/07/13


Passiflora, don't know the species name though. I bet the one you're talking about is white flowered with a purple center. Really intricate flower, kind of looks like a UFO to me. There is a red flowered variety too. And I saw a native type called Passiflora lutea, in a field nearby recently. It has tiny 1/2-3/4" flowers that are all colored greenish white. I think the bloom time for these vines has passed as all of the ones I saw at a nearby nursery (growing on their fence) had bloomed out by last weekend. Sorry, don't know about their culture though.

-- Rich Campbell, USDA zone 7 (near Dallas)

richc@ti.com
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From: j. m. recendez (j._m._recendez@lamg.com)
Subject: Re: passion vine2
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/07/13

The passion flower of the vine is indeed dramatic, and the fruit of the vine is passion fruit, used in lots of Hawaiian juices. The vines I've known were in humid conditions, one in New Jersey and the others in Hawaii. All on a South fence, wall, as it is a climber, and well draining soil. The Hawaiian ones were amazing, had to keep them from taking over the house, and was even planted were it got occasional swimming pool water. Good luck, my mother in law tried one here California, about 40 miles from ocean, and no success.
-----jmr
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From: David Turley (deturley@ahoynet.com)
Subject: Re: passion vine2
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Date: 1995/07/14

In article <3u4jcd$97i@gryphon.phoenix.net>, Nick Nicholls <nicholls@phoenix.net> wrote:

> We bought a scarlet passion vine last year from Joshua's in
> Houston - planted it in a pot on the fence line (south side of
> the house). It has bloomed since late spring - the vines are
> spreading nicely on the wooden fence. It's a very unusual plant
> - definitely UFO looking. Thus far we have had no seeds (fruit?)
> and I'm quite surprised.

Most Passiflora are not self fertile. The wild one you see is probably P. incarnata which will fruit easily in the wild. You probably have P. vitifolia, P. coccinea, or one of the many hybrids with these species. In any case, need to have two distinct clones to get fruit. You might try selfing the flowers yourself (play bee, but I doubt this will work with these species. I have never had fruit on either of these, but until recently only grew one clone of each.

Hope this helps, David

------------------------------------------------------------ David Turley "In all things of nature there is Fredericksburg, VA something of the marvelous." deturley@ahoynet.com Aristotle
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Passionfruit

From: Jayay (jaitken\queenslander\@ozemail.com.au)
Subject: Re: Passionfruit
Newsgroups: aus.gardens
Date: 1998/11/11

E B <eddieb@networx.net.au> wrote in article <3648dbe3.0@news.highway1.com.au>...
: Hello to everyone on the list.
:
: I am from perth (home gardener & not trying to spam on this list )and just
: wondering if anyone has ever tried selling passionfruit before. I have 2
: vines that produce an abundence of fruit. Its all grown organically (worms
: etc no chemicals). Not looking to get much but just cover costs of producing
: them. Anyone with any ideas.

Hi Eddie. We had the same problem.... just too much fruit!! After my wife had frozen a heap of pulp ( great in ice cube trays ) and we had given all our friends

a stack,we ( my wife that is ) approached our local greengrocer. Rather than sell the fruit , my wife came to an arrangement to " trade " the passionfruit for other veggies. We did well for avocados , and some citrus that is not yet producing in our garden. We will be doing the same this season with zucchini, cucumber and of course passionfruit again. Seems like a good option with a 'win /win ' outcome and the greengrocer just loves anything "organically produced"

Happy gardening James......Sunshine Coast....Qld
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From: D & P Wade (dpwade@powerup.com.au)
Subject: Passionfruit
Newsgroups: aus.gardens
Date: 1999/05/02



Hello all, I live in Brisbane and have the most prolific Panama Red passionfruit vine growing on a fence. This year, however, lots of fruit has fallen or become 'softish' before changing colour. It is now dropping leaves and only half the fruit is ripe enough to pick. Any ideas what's wrong? Thanks, Trish-- dpwade@powerup.com.au
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From: Rocket (hightide@zip.com.au)
Subject: Re: Passionfruit
Newsgroups: aus.gardens
Date: 1999/05/07



Trish,
Sorry to take awhile to answer this , but have just spent a week in Armidale and as there are no other replies posted, thought I better put in my 2 cents worth. Problem could just be the old not enough food for the plant, passionfruit are hungry little blighters, so give it a good feed around the root area, also how has the weather been, has it got enough water, they also love a good soaking. Hope it improves.

Rocket
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From: Paul Drummond (drummo@smartchat.net.au)
Subject: Passionfruit
Newsgroups: aus.gardens
Date: 2000/03/16

Hi;

Need some help with a passionfruit vine. I get loads of passionfruit but they fall off before they are ripe. Is there anything I can do about this? The variety is a Nellie Kelly/ panama gold graft. My friend has one and hers gives great fruit.

Thanks Paul D
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From: Jules (2juls@one.net.au)
Subject: Re: Passionfruit
Newsgroups: aus.gardens
Date: 2000/03/16

When they fall do they have a flat spot on them with a dot in the middle? If so it's fruit fly. jules
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From: Chris Garvey (oblivion@cc.monash.edu.au)
Subject: Re: Passionfruit
Newsgroups: aus.gardens
Date: 2000/03/17

Paul Drummond <drummo@smartchat.net.au> wrote:

: No, doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the fruit. They fall off the
: right colour but still very heavy. I kept some to see if they would ripen off
: the vine but they just tasted sour and didn't shrivel like normal
: passionfruit.
: Paul

Try some source of potassium. sulfate of potash. some animal manures.

--
>:)(:<

"Use your x-ray vision. See through me. See that I am hollow."
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Question about Passiflora incarnata

From: Permacltur (permacltur@aol.com)
Subject: Question about Passiflora incarnata
Newsgroups: alt.agriculture.fruit
Date: 1997/08/19

We have many maypops in our pasture, but we never see ripe fruit. This is because racoons, possums, wild pigs, and doubtless many other critters get there first. (Of course the beef eat the entire plant when they are rotated into a passionfruit area.)

Will the fruit properly ripen of f the vine? I have no experience in this regard and the genus is a bit chancy, due to prussic acid. (Doesn't seem to bother the steer--I have some reports that the leaves of P incarnata are, alone in the gunus, quite edible by people. I'll stick to sweet potato vines for the time being.)

Any info here will be much appreciated.

For Mother Earth, Dan Hemenway, Yankee Permaculture Publications (since 1982), Elfin Permaculture workshops, lectures, Permaculture Design Courses, consulting and permaculture designs (since 1981), and now correspondence courses via email. Next starts in Oct. 1997. Internships available. Copyright, 1997, Dan & Cynthia Hemenway, P.O. Box 2052, Ocala FL 34478 USA YankeePerm@aol.com

We don't have time to rush.
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From: DGholston (dgholston@aol.com)
Subject: Re: Question about Passiflora incarnata
Newsgroups: alt.agriculture.fruit
Date: 1997/08/19

If you can catch the fruits as they are starting to ripen (they turn lime green or light yellow), they should finish ripening o.k. It is too bad the fruits disapear before you can pick them, because the maypop is a mighty tasty fruit, with an apricot-like flavor. Regarding the leaves, Euell Gibbons and others describe the leaves as delicious as a cooked vegaetabale or eaten raw in a salad. As you may remember, Euell is the fellow who stalkes (or stalked) wild asparagus and such.

Bon apatit.

Don Gholston California Rare Fruit Growers http://www.crfg.org/

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