Passiflora – Passion Vine – Trellis
The passiflora known as the “passion vine” is one of the “new” vines introduced for spring color offerings available at garden centers.
If you’re ready to add a conversation plant and something really unique to the outside patio, take a look at the “passion vine”.
These exotic flowers have been symbolized with the crucifixion and sometimes look like they resemble something from outer space. There are dozens of passion vines, both edible and non-edible. Our focus will be on the ornamental variety.
Passiflora From Brazil
The purple passion fruit makes its home from southern Brazil through Paraguay and in parts northern Argentina. Before 1900, the purple passion fruit was partially naturalized and flourishing in coastal areas of Australia.
Seeds of the purple passion fruit, were brought from Australia to Hawaii and first planted in 1880. It wasn’t long, because of its fast growing nature that the passiflora vine became popular in home gardens.
The passion vine prefers a frost-free climate. There are some cultivars that can take temperatures into the upper 20′s (F) without serious damage. The “Blue Passion Vine” is pretty cold hardy and salt tolerant but the plant does not grow well in intense summer heat. The yellow passion fruit is tropical and isn’t fond of frost. The purple and yellow forms both need protection from the wind.
They make quite a few products from the plant and fruit – Like tea. Another interesting item about the Passiflora is that they are very popular with butterflies.
Passion Fruit Culture – Location
Care for the passion fruit vines requires full sun except during those very hot summer days, if possible provide some partial shade. The vine is a fast grower and can get out of hand, so if possible plant it next to a chain link fence or on a trellis.
Water & Soil
Passion fruit vines grow in many soil types but make sure that the plant gets excellent drainage. If you want to keep the vines flowering almost continuously, regular water is necessary. The vines are shallow-rooted, and will benefit from a thick layer of organic mulch.
Fertilizer
Passiflora vines are vigorous growers and require regular fertilizing. Stay away from just using a 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer. This may promote good growth but possibly too much green and not enough flower. Use a solid fertilizer with a ratio more along the lines of a 2-1-3.
6 Things To Remember When Buying Passiflora Plants
- Find out when your nursery receives new shipments
- Look for clean undamaged foliage
- Inspect the plants for good root systems
- Don’t let them hang out the window on the ride home
- Don’t let them sit in the car while you run into the store.
- They must acclimate to their new environment
Related Articles Of Interest:
- Passiflora Species – The Passion Flower
- Passion Flower Exotic and Legendary
- Tropical Passion Vines Flourish In Northern Gardens
- The Exotic Passion Flower Growing In The North
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11 Responses to “Passiflora – Passion Vine – Trellis”
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Hello,
What would recommend to do if my passion vine has less flower and it keeps on just growing fast without any blooms ? Can I trim it to promote flowering ?
thanks,
Dee Dee
MY NEIGHBOR PLANTED SOME PASSION VINES AND THEY HAVE MIGRATED INTO MY YARD AND GARDEN. IT HAS SMOTHERED AND KILLED MY FIRS AND I NEED TO KNOW HOW I CAN GET RID OF IT. PULLING ROOTS DOES’NT WORK CAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY EVERYWHERE. IS THERE A SPRAY OR SOMETHING I CAN USE TO KILL IT ??
“DESPERATE”
A friend gave me a start of the vine last year but orange catapillars keep infesting it. Orange butterflies flock to it continuously even though it has only bloomed one flower so far. They’re just lighting on the folliage. I have sprayed it twice and it needs it again as several of the worms are eating on it now. Can you tell me what’s happening and should I be destroying these worms in order to save the leaves and buds on my vine. If they are producing more of the beautiful butterflies, I’ve thought about just getting another vine to enjoy for the flowers and keep the other as a butterfly vine if this is truly what is happening.
Thanks for your help in advance!
Marynell
We had a new Passionflower vine which was thriving, growing like a weed, well drained and in a sunny spot. The weather has been pretty warm for England but there hasn’t been a lot of rain. Suddenly this week, it just withered and died. What happened? any ideas please?
I planted a passion vine (not really knowing what it was) about a year ago. The flowers are white with purple auxiliary petals. (I planted it to attract the beas.) The large black bees love this plant. This year I have fruit. I didn’t know it was a fruiting variety. Is this fruit edible?
It is planted in my vegetable garden on a west-facing fence where it gets regular water and slow release fertilizer and a sprinkling of alfalfa pellets.
The string beans and passion flower compete for space, neither wins just grow over one another, both are fruiting. It’s really fun to see.
Do these plants die down each year or just loose thier leaves? I am not sure if I should plant in a pot to take in to winter over or cover the roots with compost to save the plant in winter? Make a difference in where I will plant it.
Marynell, don’t spray your passion vine!! Those are Gulf Frittilary butterflies and caterpillars. Passion Vine is a host plant for those, Zebra Longwings and Julia’s. They will chew on your vine, but it will survive and thrive! They do not eat the flowers. Don’t spray poison, just enjoy your beautiful butterflies!!!
Marynell,
Yes, those are – will be butterflies– my vine no longer has a leaf on it. One flower tried to grow, but they found it. I just have decided that it is their plant and so be it. The butterflies are beautiful and watching them come out of the cocoons is amazing.
Hi MaryNell – yes, the butterflies are the Gulf Fritillaries (spelling?) and they only lay their eggs on passionflower vines, the eggs hatch into the orange catapillars which eat the leaves, then start the cocoon process to emerge as the orange butterflies. I have several vines and I love to watch the process. So yes – don’t spray them anymore and look up info on the Gulf Fritillary butterfly….
I need advice and help. My daughter brought my mother a “Passion Vine” several years ago, I live in Yakima WA.; since we live in a cold cllimate, we cut the vine back off the trellis in the fall and store it in a warm area with minimal water for the winter returning it in the spring to the trellis on the patio. It grows like crazy but has never had a bud much less a flower. I have no idea what kind it is or what I need to do to help it along. After I looked on several sites I see we are watering correctly, may want to change up the fertilizer, it is in a 12″ pot. with good drainage.
Thanks for any help,
Sharon
Great Silver-spangled Fritillary butterflies LOVE passion flower vine. The ‘worms’ you are talking about might be caterpillars. I had a huge amount of this vine in my back yard when I first moved into my house and actually had rows of chrysalises hanging on the edge of my siding out back!!! The vine does pop up all over the yard now. I just capture a few with trellises and tomato frames and enjoy them growin in a flower bed. The ones that pop up where I don’t want them, I just pull up or mow over.