Culture
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-12 where plants are best grown in moist, fertile, well-drained, sandy loams in full sun. Tolerates light shade, but best flowering occurs in full sun. Outdoor plants in some climates flower most of the year, but flowering tends to decrease in winter with the onset of shorter days. For containers, use a well-drained, peaty-humusy potting mix. Containers need a support on which the vine can grow. Place containers outdoors in full sun after last spring frost date. This flowering vine appreciates high humidity. It also requires good air circulation to discourage fungal diseases. Water evenly and consistently during the growing season. Vines produce flowers on new growth, so they may be pruned as needed early in the growing season. Bring vines indoors before first fall frost date. Reduce watering somewhat from fall to late winter. Purple passionfruit may be grown indoors year round as a houseplant in a sun room or in a sunny south-facing window.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Passiflora edulis, commonly called purple passionfruit, is a shallow-rooted, tendril-climbing, evergreen vine that typically grows to 10-15’ long and to 3-5’ wide and produces extremely showy bowl-shaped fragrant purple-white passionflowers (each to 3” wide) followed by edible, ovoid, purple passionfruits (to 2" across). P. edulis f. flavicarpa is a yellow-fruited form commonly called yellow passionfruit. Purple passionfruit is native to Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, but is now grown in tropical and subtropical climates throughout the world. This vine clings to supports by coiled tendrils. Individual flowers bloom for one day. Each flower has 5 greenish-white sepals, 5 white petals and a decorative corona of white filaments which are showy purple at the bases. In Florida, the purple-white flowers begin blooming in early spring with the passionfruits typically ripening about 80 days after flowering occurs (from late May to July). Each fruit has a rough rind with as many as 250 tiny seeds inside, each seed being surrounded by an orange sac containing juice. Ripe fruits are edible off the vine or incorporated into a variety of food products such as beverages, jellies, fruit salads and sherbets. Three-lobed evergreen leaves (to 3-8" long) are finely-toothed, deep green and glossy above but dull green below. Young stems are tinged with red or purple. Glossy, three-lobed leaves (3-5" long) with serrate margins have two small glands on the stalks. Passionflowers have an acquired religious significance that dates back to the 1700s when early Spanish settlers interpreted various parts of the flower to be symbolic of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, hence the common name.
Genus name comes from the Latin words passio meaning passion and flos meaning a flower for the flower's symbolism of the crucifixion of Christ.
Specific epithet means edible.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Caterpillars (butterfly larvae) chew unsightly holes in the leaves. Insect and disease problems vary by geographic growing area. Nematodes and fungi may attack the roots. Destroy any plants attacked by viral diseases.
Uses
Where winter hardy, grow this vine outdoors on a pergola, trellis, arch or fence. Where not winter hardy, grow this vine in containers on a sunny porch, deck or patio and then overwinter it indoors in a greenhouse or the bright light of a sun room.