passion fruit

[Nomada]

I'd really like to grow some, perhaps in the greenhouse, has anyone had any success with these in the past? The seeds I've been given are Passiflora edulis. Also, are they perrenial? I assume they are because my parents used to have a plant that survived winters and carried on growing but it was an ornamental variety and not the edible one.

[Jacqui S]

I had a gorgeous passion flower growing up the front of my last house, it was in a large pot which was nestled by the bay window, facing South. It thrived so much that it rooted in gaps in the concrete next to the house and I did have to trim it a couple of times (it was there for 10 years) as it grew so well. I don't know how it's faring this winter as we have now moved house but the winter before, which was also quite harsh, didn't kill it. A lot of the foliage died off but th roots were still alive so I cut it right back and it started to grow back. I wasn't the edulis variety but I imagine they grow in a similar way. We did actually eat some of the fruit anyway though, they were mostly seeds and hardly any flesh but fun to taste them anyway. I am planning to get a Passiflora edulis for this house too, I have picked out the perfect South facing spot just outside the kitchen window. Oh, the last one flowered profusely for 8 months of the year too, absolutely gorgeous!

[Nomada]

Thanks! That's great to know! I'll keep one or two in the greenhouse and maybe train one up the side of the shed.