Growing Information for the Passion Flower

Overview

Passion flowers are members of the Passaflora family and are perennial bushes or vines that produce a stunningly unique and sometimes fragrant flower and an edible or medicinal fruit.

Range

The Passaflora family has more than 500 species and is native to every continent except Antarctica. The well-known edible fruit comes from P. edulis and is native to Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

Growth Habit

Most Passiflora such as P. edulis are vines that climb using tendrils. A few species are more bush-shaped.

Flowers

The unique flowers give this plant its name. They resemble the crown of thorns worn by Jesus during the crucifixion. His suffering on the cross is called the Passion.

Fruit

Most edible passion-fruit berries come from the purple or yellow passion-fruit vine. A few species produce less widely known but still edible fruits.

Pollination

Only some passion flowers are self-fertile; most require a large bee like the carpenter bee to pollinate them. Smaller honey bees are less efficient.

Photo by: Frankd