If you are looking for something easy to grow that adds character to your garden and bears delicious fruit, the passion fruit vine must be considered.
Passionflower vines are climbers of the genus Passiflora. There are various tropical species, but the passion fruit vine is the most popular and best known.
The large exotic blooms, the palatable fruit, the shiny green foliage, and the fact that this wonderful vine responds quickly with vigorous growth in tropical areas explain its popularity in Central and North Queensland.
These attractive vines are very easy to grow in Central Queensland, with the best results being achieved in well-drained, rich, friable loam with an occasional dressing of complete plant food rich in potash.
While the vines may be allowed to ramble all over the place on virtually any structure, the best height for gathering fruit is around a metre and a half.
During hot weather, the inability of the vine to take up moisture fast enough to replace that lost by respiration through the leaves and this may cause the buds and flowers or the fruit to shrivel before ripening.
The problem can be addressed by mulching the plant with a thick layer of straw-type mulch like lucerne or sugar cane mulch. The mulch should be spread, and care taken not to heap it around the main stem as it can cause collar or bark rot.
We are fortunate in Central Queensland to be able to the beautiful flowering varieties of the Passionflower and the fruiting varieties of the Passion Fruit.
Last year I was lucky to visit a Passionflower enthusiast garden in the Whitsundays. This garden contained over thirty varieties of Passionflowers, some that are very hardy to some very unique and difficult to grow varieties. The following are some beautiful flowering Passionflowers that would grow in Central Queensland gardens.
Passiflora alata or the Fragrant Granadilla is an evergreen vine with very large oval shaped glossy green leaves. Large fragrant cerise to maroon flowers with blue markings will appear during the warm months of the year. The large gold to orange coloured fruit would be one of the sweetest flavoured of all the edible passionfruit.
Passiflora caerulea or Blue Passionflower is s a vigorous evergreen vine with large dark green five lobed leaves. Flowers have white petals with blue and white fringe corona filaments and a minty scent. It will bear bland tasting egg shaped orange skinned passionfruit in abundance from Autumn to Spring.
Passiflora coccinea or Scarlet Passionflower has glossy, bright green, serrated and softly indented leaves. During mid-Winter and Spring, deep scarlet flowers with a centre crown of white/purple/red. It is a long-lived fast growing, evergreen vine which supports itself with tendrils. Passiflora coccinea is largely grown as an ornamental passionfruit though the fruits are edible.
Passiflora racemosa or Cascading Passionflower is a beautiful evergreen vine with large oval shaped glossy green leaves that have a wavy edge. Throughout Summer and Autumn, clusters of large hanging scarlet red flowers appear. After flowering, it will bare small deep green oblong edible fruit.
Passiflora quadrangularis or Giant Granadilla is an ornamental tropical vine with very large 25cm long dark green leaves. It has big colourful showy fragrant maroon, purple and white coloured flowers. The large and heavy edible fruit can be up to 40cm long and will turn yellow when it is fully ripe.
Passiflora Panama Gold is a fast-growing evergreen vine with glossy light green foliage. From Autumn to Spring large lightly scented white and purple flowers. Followed by large golden soft-skinned fruit with juicy, aromatic pulp during Summer. Passiflora Panama Gold is highly resistant to pests and diseases
PLANT AND GARDEN ADVICE
* Would you like some ideas for a garden revamp?
* Are you building a new garden and need some ideas of what to plant?
* Is your garden not growing the way you planned?
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Would you like for me to spend 45 minutes with you providing advice?
I can offer a face to face consultation service at your own home.
Please contact me, Neil Fisher 0408 282440 or email fishersnursery@bigpond.com
