Latin name Passiflora was created from the combination of the words passio - suffering - and flos - flower. Passion flowers come from rainforests in the tropical regions of the Americas, Australia, Asia and Africa. They belong to the Passifloraceae family. They are perennial, very long climbers with woody shoots.
Passion cultivation and care
The blue passion flower first came to Europe, which was initially grown only in botanical gardens. When other species appeared, they began to be crossed and in 1820 the first hybrids were created. Of the more than 400 known species, the passion fruit P.edulis, blue (or blue) P. cearulea, coral P. racemosa, striped P. trifasciata and giant P. quadrangularis. Today there are many different colored varieties derived from these species, such as Amethyst, Kaiserin Eugenie, Byron Beauty, Incense, Jelly Joker, Purple Haze and many others. They require positions with diffused light in the apartment, while in the summer on the balcony they can stand in full sun.
High summer temperature (20-25 degrees Celsius) is a prerequisite for flower buds. Before the first frost, plants that are kept outdoors should be at home immediately. Passion flower and striped passion fruit should spend the winter at 15-18 degrees Celsius, and the edible and coral at 8-10 degrees Celsius. During the growth period, passion flowers require a lot of water, and in hot weather they should be watered even twice a day. Moisture in the air is also necessary for them. Plants exposed to the sun should be sprinkled early in the morning with soft water to avoid burns to the leaves.From September to March, watering is limited to prevent the root ball from drying out.Passiflora grow quickly, so they need fertilization.
From March to the end of August, during the growth and setting of flower buds, we feed them every 7-14 days with a multi-component fertilizer for flowering plants. They sprout long shoots, so you need to install grates near them, which will serve as supports. The tendrils should not be allowed to become entangled with each other, as it weakens flowering. Therefore, as new shoots grow, they are tied loosely to the supports so that the whiskers appearing on the shoots can become tangled around them over time.
Cutting martyr
Every year, in early spring, we prune the vines, this treatment stimulates the plants to branch out and form flower buds. We shorten all the shoots very much, leaving 4 to 7 knots on them. If the plant grows too much, trim it also in summer, being careful not to cut the shoots with flower buds.Also in spring, two or three-year-old specimens are transplanted into fertile and well-drained soil with a slightly acidic reaction. Drainage is important as passion flowers cannot stand water remaining within the root ball. New pots should be only 2-3 cm wider than previous pots. Older specimens are only replaced with the top layer of earth.
Tasty passion fruit
Passion flowers are known not only for their beautiful flowers, but also bear fruit in the form of berries, inside which there are seeds surrounded by jelly-like arils. Aromatic, acidic juice, containing a lot of provitamin A and vitamin C. It is grown more and more on plantations in Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, California and Florida. During the year, 9 kg of fruit can be harvested from one plant. Passion fruit can be eaten raw, just like kiwi fruit.Some shops sell a passion fruit called granadilla. They are derived from the species P. ligularis.
Propagation of the martyr
Passion seeds can be used to multiply plants. Rinse the removed seeds gently on a sieve, and after drying, sow them into a box filled with a special sowing medium. Then we cover the box with foil or glass, remembering to air it regularly. After 2-3 weeks, the first seedlings will emerge. When they produce 2-3 leaves, transplant them into pots. The specimens obtained this way bloom less. Passiflora can also be propagated from mature, but not yet lignified apical cuttings with 2-4 nodes.
