How to Grow and Care for Passionflower in Your Garden

Passionflowers (Passiflora) are brightly-colored flowers that belong to the Passifloraceae family. Most passionflower plants have dark green, tendril-like c vines that curl into hook-like coils that will need the support of a trellis as they climb. Passionflower vines will bloom tube or trumpet-shaped flowers in vibrant colors like bright green, purple, yellow, and orange. Passionflowers are known for their showy thin threads or filaments—called the corona—that grow where sepals would usually be. These flowers bear edible fruits (called passionfruit) and attract plenty of pollinators.

Passionflowers are native to North and South America, and there are many different cultivars that have different characteristics. Here are some of the most popular species of passionflower.

1. 1. Purple passionflower (passiflora incarnata): Purple passionflower grows on a hardy climbing vine that sprouts lavender blooms with spidery curly tendrils. This very popular climber is a Florida native and is also known by its common name, the maypop.
2. 2. Blue passionflower (passiflora caerulea): Blue passionflower is a perennial vine native to South America. Its flowers have rings of white petals underneath blue, white, and purple filaments. The fruits of this vine are egg-shaped and bright orange.
3. 3. Fragrant granadilla (passiflora alta "Ruby glow"): These passionflowers have large deep red petals (hence the name "Ruby glow") with a ring of purple and white filaments that grow into a cup shape.
4. 4. Elizabeth passionflower (passiflora "Elizabeth"): This cultivar is a hybrid of the purple passionflower and the fragrant granadilla. Its flowers are similar in shape to the "Ruby glow" flowers but have a deep violet color.
5. 5. Passionfruit flower (passiflora edulis): This passionfruit flower vine has stunning, multi-colored flowers and grows purple passionfruit.

Passionflowers are fast growers and do well in warm weather. Plant passionflowers in early spring to make the most of their bloom time, or in early fall, ensuring your passionflower gets full sun during its initial growing season. Passionflowers thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9, preferring warmer climates.

For anyone who has eaten a passionfruit, you will know they are full of seeds. Passionfruit seeds can be saved and used to plant your own passionflower plants. Follow these simple steps to plant your own passionflower vine from seed.

1. 1. Collect your seeds. If you’re harvesting seeds from a passionfruit to grow new plants, wait till the fruit is completely ripe. Cut the fruit open and collect, wash, and dry the seeds. You can also purchase passionflower seeds from a nursery.
2. 2. Soak your seeds. Soak your seeds in warm water overnight to jump-start the germination process. You can also lightly scarify your seeds by rubbing them with sandpaper. If you choose to scarify your seeds, take care not to damage them in the process. Discard any seeds that float to the top of your water bath.
3. 3. Germinate your seeds. Fill a small container with damp potting mix and place your seeds on the surface of the soil. The seeds will need plenty of light to germinate properly, so do not bury or cover them. Wrap the entire container in a clear plastic bag to retain moisture and place the wrapped container in a warm place, but out of direct sunlight.
4. 4. Check for sprouts. Your seeds should begin to germinate into seedlings within 10 to 20 days. Once your sprouts are beginning to show real leaves, you can begin to introduce the plant to full sun. Move your sprouts into full sun for a little bit more time each day, hardening your plants to the sun.
5. 5. Re-pot your seedlings. Once your sprouts have grown to have several sets of leaves, they are ready to be repotted. Choose a location in your garden that gets full or partial sun, preferably against something like a fence or trellis for the passionflower vines to climb. Prepare the soil in a large pot or directly in the ground by digging it and testing it for drainage. Carefully dig up your plants from the growing tray and plant in your new location. Water your seedlings deeply straight away.

Follow these tips to grow hardy, thriving passionflower vines that will climb for years.

1. 1. Water your vines liberally. Even if passionflowers love the heat, they are not drought-resistant. Water your passionflowers two times a week, checking the soil between waterings to see how moist it is.
2. 2. Protect your plants in the winter. You will need to protect your passionflower roots during the colder months so that it doesn’t completely die off. During the winter, spread a layer of mulch around the base of your passionflower roots to protect its root system from frost until early spring.
3. 3. Prune your plants when they are dormant. During the growing season, passionflowers won't require too much maintenance. In late winter and early spring, however, you can prune or deadhead your passionflower plant to encourage new growth and clear away dead vines.
4. 4. Watch out for pests. Passionflowers are susceptible to infestations from whiteflies, spider mites, and scale, all of which can be controlled with an insecticide. If you choose to use insecticides on your passionflowers, make sure to thoroughly wash any fruit you eat from your vine.

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