Passion Flower
Passiflora incarnata
📖 About this plant
One of the most exotic-looking vines, producing extraordinary flowers with intricate, layered structures in purple, blue, and white that resemble elements of the crucifixion — hence the name. The edible maypop fruit that follows is sweet and tropical-tasting. Fast-growing and vigorous, it quickly covers structures with its deeply lobed foliage and produces flowers throughout summer and fall.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6-8 hrs)
Every 2-3 days
Moderate to high (50-70%)
15-28°C
Well-draining, moderately fertile soil; tolerates sandy and clay soils; pH 6.0-7.5
Balanced liquid fertilizer (10-10-10) every 4-6 weeks during growing season; avoid high-nitrogen formulas
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- South America — Brazil, Paraguay, northern Argentina
- 📏 Max height
- 300-900 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 100-300 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer - Fall
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Purple, Blue, White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides — mildly toxic if ingested in large quantities; fruit pulp is edible and safe
- 🌱 Propagation
- Softwood cuttings in spring, layering, or seed sowing (seeds need scarification and warm stratification)
🛡️ Health & Safety
Leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides — mildly toxic if ingested in large quantities; fruit pulp is edible and safe
Common issues
- Caterpillars of Gulf Fritillary butterfly feed on leaves
- Can spread aggressively by root suckers
- Root rot in waterlogged soils
💡 Care tips
- Produces stunning exotic-looking flowers up to 4 inches across
- Many varieties produce edible passion fruit
- Provide a strong trellis or fence for climbing support
- Die back to the ground in cold winters but regrow in spring
