Passion fruit

Profile

Family

Passifloraceae

Habit

Climber

Height

9.5 m

Spread

10 m

Growth

very fast

Lifespan

20 years

First yield

after 3 years

Hardiness

zone 9–12

Shade tolerance

full sun

Soil

Sand, Silt, Loam

Soil moisture

semi-dry – very wet

pH

5.5 – 6.5

Synonyms

Maracuja, Passionsfrucht,

Flowering & harvest

Times apply to the northern hemisphere in a temperate climate and shift with altitude and cultivar.

Uses

Edible: Fruit (raw or cooked to enhance sweetness) can be used for making juice, syrup, sauces, cakes, etc., yielding 20–30 tons per hectare, equivalent to 1500–2200 kcal/m². Additionally, edible oil can be extracted from the seeds.

Other uses: Ornamental plant grown on a fence or trellis.

Growing

Requires a well-drained soil with abundant moisture during the growing season to thrive. The plant is not demanding in this regard. The plant is not very tolerant to frost and is ideally cultivated in a greenhouse. However, the roots are more resilient and can survive winter outdoors in many regions if the soil is kept from freezing. In case of frost damage, the plant can regrow from its base. There is also the option of cultivating the plant on P. caerulea rootstocks to potentially increase its hardiness. This species is commonly grown in warmer climates for its edible fruit, with some named varieties available. In hot summers, the fruit can also be produced in suitable conditions. To promote fruiting, it is recommended to restrict the roots of outdoor plants. Pruning is most effective when done in the spring. For fruit production, hand pollination is advised, using pollen from a flower open for at least 12 hours to pollinate a newly opened flower before noon. The flowers bloom in sunny weather and remain closed on overcast days, emitting a scent reminiscent of heliotropes. As a climbing plant, it attaches itself to other plants using tendrils produced at the leaf axils. Plants in this genus exhibit notable resistance to honey fungus.

Propagation

Soak the seeds in warm water for 12 hours before planting in a warm greenhouse in late winter or early spring. If planted in January and grown quickly, the plant can flower and fruit in its first year. Seeds typically germinate within 1 to 12 months at 20°C. Transfer the seedlings to individual pots when they are big enough. If planning to grow the plants outdoors, it's advisable to overwinter them in the greenhouse and then transplant them in late spring or early summer after the final frosts. Provide a good mulch in late autumn to protect the roots from the cold. Take 15cm cuttings with a heel from young shoots in spring. In spring, use leaf bud cuttings. For fully mature wood, take cuttings in early summer, which will take about 3 months to root with a high success rate.

Notable

Eigenschaften: Benötigt in der Vegetationsperiode viel Feuchtigkeit; Für eine bessere Krankheits- und Nematodenresistenz auf den Wurzelstock der gelben Passionsfrucht P. flavicarpa pfropfen; Bester Ertrag durch Handbestäubung; Zimmermannsbienen sind viel effizientere Bestäuber als Honigbienen; Früchte tragen nur neue Triebe → Schneiden Sie jeden Seitentrieb auf einen sich neu entwickelnden Trieb zurück; Seitentrieb dicht an der Hauptrebe nach der seitlichen Fruchternte;

Origin & habitat

S. America - Brazil, Paraguay, and the northern region of Argentina.

Cultivated land, dense vegetation, and rocky areas close to farming.

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