About
Vigorous evergreen climber about 4m tall, with deeply 3-lobed rich green leaves, and purple to purple-blue flowers 10cm across, with green anthers, tepals becoming reflexed with age, and deep purple coronal filaments, flowering in late summer and autumn, followed by orange fruit to 6cm long. The pulp in the fruits only can be eaten when they are fully ripe and yellow-orange. Unripe fruit is toxic.
About the genus
Passiflora are mostly tender tendril-climbing shrubs, with simple or palmately-lobed, generally evergreen leaves and showy flowers of distinctive structure with often colourful coronal filaments, followed by conspicuous fruits, edible in some species
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub, Conservatory Greenhouse
HabitClimbing
FoliageEvergreen
Height4-8 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesSub-tropical
ToxicityFruit are ornamental - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a conservatory or frost free greenhouse in a container of peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light, with shade from hot sun. Suited to outdoor cultivation in summer for mild counties only. See passion flower cultivation
PruningPruning group 11 or pruning group 12 in early spring
PropagationPropagate by seed, semi-hardwood cuttings or by layering in spring or autumn
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects and glasshouse whitefly
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) and a virus