About
A large, vigorous, semi-evergreen climber with twining tendrils. Leaves dark green, with three to five finger-like lobes. Flowers to 10cm in width, with greenish or purplish white petals and blue-purple coronal filaments that are black-purple at the base. The fruit is yellow-orange, but rarely produced. 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, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing
FoliageSemi evergreen
Height8-12 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, City and courtyard gardens
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
CultivationFast-growing climber for a warm position in sun or partial shade; thrives in moist but well-drained soil. In cold areas, grow in a container and overwinter indoors
PruningPruning group 11 or pruning group 12 if necessary, in early spring
PropagationPropagate by, 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