How to Grow Passionflower

**Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is a stunning flowering perennial for your garden. They come in many different varieties, so you should read the descriptions carefully: some are aggressive climbing vines, others are only ornamental, some varieties produce edible fruit, etc. 

**Passionflower can also come in a some different colors, though purple is the most common (and to me, the most beautiful).

**They grow best in zones 6-9.

Parts Used:

*leaves and flowers, fresh or dried for medicinal purposes (see bottom of post)

*if the fruit-bearing ones, you can eat the fruit

Position:

*prefers light, acidic soil

*needs a warm, sunny position

Propagation:

*propagation by seed is very difficult: the best solution is to stratify the seeds in moist peat moss in the refrigerator for one week, then sow seeds indoors in a very warm greenhouse. Germination is low, only around 30 percent.

*another technique mentioned is to soak the seeds in warm water for anywhere between 1 hour to 1 week, then plant

*another technique that I have read about is to scarify the seeds, THEN soak them in warm water

*you can also propagate (more easily) by tip cuttings taken in the summer. Use a liquid rooting hormone and keep the cuttings warm and moist until the rootings appear in approx. 2 weeks

Maintenance:

*provide trellis support for the vines

*mulch the plants well to keep the moisture stable

*shape and prune the vine as necessary in the spring

Harvesting:

*harvest the aerial parts in mid to late summer and air-dry for medicinal purposes

*for culinary purposes, pick the fruits at the “dropping” stage of its growth

Medicinal:

*this plant makes people feel calm and relaxed

*it is excellent for anxiety, depression, and insomnia

*it is often used as a pain reliever

Cooking:

*the seeds and the pulp of ripe fruits have a tangy flavor and can be eaten raw or used in fruit salads, desserts, jams, and fruit drinks

*Hurricane: a cocktail made with passionfruit syrup, rum, and lime juice