Passiflora edulis - Purple Passion Flower

Purple Passion Flower is worth growing for its amazing flowers alone. It's also worth growing just for the fruit. It's so lush it creates shade. Butterflies love it. It will cover a trellis in a season, and once established needs little attention.

All Passiflora blooms are extraordinary but this is one of the showiest. Easily 3" across, it looks like a kid invented it. Individual blossoms only last for a day, but the plant's in bloom from April through November and may continue year-round if conditions are right.

Large, pendulous fruits start out green, then turn purple. They ripen about 80 days after flowering and are fully ripe when they've dropped off the vine and turned wrinkley. You can eat the juicy pulp sooner but it's sweeter and more fragrant if you wait. The fruits store quite a long time if you don't eat them first.

Passiflora edulis is hardy to 32*, needs full sun and a long season. Zones 9-11 are ideal. Water frequently and provide good drainage. This is one enthusiastic vine, can grow 20' in a year, and needs a strong trellis and occasional pruning. Seeds are stubborn and can take weeks to months to germinate. A good soak in orange juice is helpful, as is bottom heat.

10 fresh seeds.