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The
Passion Flower The passion flower, or passion vine, has intrigued me for years and for several reasons. The blossoms are unique in shape and color, the fragrance is wonderfully aromatic, it grows fast with little care and it symbolizes divine passion. There are many cultivars of passion vine, however, most require warmer winters than we have in the Valley. I have successfully grown two species in my yard, Passiflora alatocaerulea and P. caerulea. Let's call them Passion A and Passion C for now. Both lose their leaves in winter; they are root-hardy in Zones 5-9, so vines resume growth in spring. Passion A is my favorite of the two because its blossoms are larger, more colorful and fragrant, and it blooms all summer long. Flowers are 3 to 4 inches in diameter and have white petals with pink and lavender edging and a deep blue or purple crown. Glossy green, three-lobed leaves are as wide as they are long. This species produces no fruit. Of the 8-10 varieties of passion vines, Passion A is the most widely grown and is less prone to caterpillars than the others. Some cultivars produce edible fruit, some produce no fruit and some produce fruit that remains immature and inedible. If growing the passion vine for edible fruit, try Passion C or P. incense. These cultivars are better adapted to the Valley than P. edulis, the most common edible variety grown in tropical climates. The deep-purple fruit of P. edulis is used in beverages, fruit salads and sherbets. Fruit of Passion C is small, oval-shaped with an orange rind and red seeds. Fruit of P. incense is 2-inches in size, egg-shaped, turns from olive to yellow green when ripe and then drops to the ground. Its pulp is fragrant and tasty. Passion vines can grow 20 feet per year in full sun in any good garden soil with a moderate amount of water. They are usually grown on trellises or walls, but they can be used to prevent soil erosion on slopes. If grown on trellises or walls, they should be pruned annually each winter after the second year to keep vines open for air circulation and to prevent the buildup of dead wood. Cut older branches back to the points from which newer branches have grown. When selecting your passion vine, consider the flower, leaf size, and color and decide whether you want fruit or not. Flowers on passiflora vines vary from 2 to 5 inches in size. The color range is greenish white to white, violet with a lighter crown, salmon to coral, lavender to purple and pink to rose. There is even a red one. Leaves vary from 3 to 6 inches in length, shape is either lobed or sharply toothed and leaf color ranges from light yellow-green to glossy deep green. Fruit size varies from small to 6 inches and color can be yellow-green, yellow, orange or deep purple. Each cultivar has its own set of characteristics. Consult Sunset's Western Garden Book or other reputable horticultural reference guides for variety specifics. The Passion vine was named by Spanish missionaries who likened various parts of the flower and vine to the elements in the crucifixion (or passion) of Christ. The five petals and five sepals symbolized the 10 faithful apostles. The purple corona represented the crown of thorn, while the five stamens symbolized the five wounds. The stemmed ovary was likened to the Lord's goblet. The leaves were the hands of Christ's persecutors and the curling tendrils the cords that bound him For centuries passionflower has been used as a medicinal herb. Crushed leaves served as poultices for the treatment of bruises and lacerations, and a tea brewed from the woody vines has been used for its calming effect. Other historic uses included relief of muscle tension, anxiety, upset stomach and insomnia. It is NOT recognized as safe or effective in the United States, but it is used in several sedative drug mixtures available in Europe. If you want an easy-to-grow vine with a legend of passion and a fragrant, uniquely shaped blossom, then look no further than Passiflora.
April 17, 2003 |