Strong climbers, passion fruit vines produce vibrant, tasty fruits that homeowners may plant and enjoy in their own backyard gardens.
Passion Fruit
The passiflora vine produces the edible fruit known as passion fruit, which has a tough skin and also yields passion flowers. It is native to southern Brazil and is a tropical plant that bears fruit and flowers. Many tropical regions of South America currently grow the passiflora vine. Warm areas favor the growth of the passiflora plant, and the ideal time to plant it is spring, after the first frost.
Types
Two main passiflora cultivars produce different types of passion fruit: Passiflora flavicarpa yields a larger yellow passion fruit, while Passiflora edulis produces a deep purple variant with a prune-like peel and a seed-filled golden interior. You can grow passion fruit indoors using seeds from the fruit itself or seedlings purchased from a nursery.
How to Grow Passion Fruit
Passion fruit can be produced from seedlings bought from a gardening store or nursery, or from the seeds found inside mature passion fruit. Additionally, cuttings can be used to create fresh passion fruit plants.
When to Plant Passion Fruit
In early April, just after the last frost, the passion fruit growth season begins. Tropical plants like passiflora, native to hot, humid regions, will produce fruit year-round in warm areas. If you live in an area where the average low temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, apply a layer of several inches of compost to your plant to prepare it for the winter months.
Growing Passion Fruit from a Seed
To prepare seeds, soak them in sandpaper and place them in a container with soil or seed-raising mix. Water them regularly and wait for the seeds to sprout, which may take up to four months. Transplant the seedling into a larger pot, prepare the soil by placing it in a sunny location, adding mulch or fertilizer, and checking pH levels. Plant the vine’s roots in fresh potting mix and fertilizer, digging a hole twice the size of the root ball. Care for the plant for 18 months to 2 years, and harvest the fruit when it begins to flower or ripen.
Growing Passion Fruit from a Seedling
To grow a passion fruit vine, plant a clipping from an existing plant or buy one from a nursery. When the vine reaches 4 inches, repot it for climbing support. Prepare the soil by placing it in a sunny spot, adding mulch or fertilizer, and checking pH levels. Place the vine in a large hole twice the size of the root ball, water it, and bury the roots in fresh potting mix and fertilizer. Care for the plant, which may take 18 months to 2 years for flowering and fruiting. Harvest the fruit when it begins to flower and develop.
Eight Caring Tips
- Plant passion fruit in moist, well-draining soil between pH of 6.5 and 7.5. Fertilize with mulch or organic matter compost if soil appears too sandy or dry.
- Water the plant generously without drowning it to prevent root rot.
- Give the plant plenty of sun and 60–80 percent humidity.
- Regularly prune wilting vines for more fruit.
- Protect the plant from pests and disease using a mesh covering or liquid fence.
- Winterize the plant if temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Propagate the plant with cuttings or fresh seeds.
- Fertilize depleted soil with 10-5-20 fertilizer, choosing a nitrogen-rich fertilizer with plenty of potassium.
Harvest
If you plant your seed or seedling in the early spring, it should be ready to harvest by the early summer or fall of the following year, as passion fruit usually takes 12 to 18 months to bear fruit. Plants in tropical climates will bear fruit and flowers all year round. Your passion fruits are ripe and ready to eat when they have vibrant colors and slightly wrinkled rinds. Just pull them from the vine; otherwise, they will drop to the ground.
