White and purple flowers open above big, shiny leaves up to 8 inches across, followed by oval fruits that ripen yellow or violet: this is passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), the Brazilian climber grown as much for its show as for its snack. Give it warmth and sun — it is not hardy below about 50 °F — and it will crop all summer.
| Name | Passiflora edulis |
|---|---|
| Family | Passifloraceae |
| Type | climbing plant |
| Height | 6.5 to 16.5 feet |
| Exposure | warm and sunny |
| Soil | rich, light, fresh, but well drained |
| Blooming | summer |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Harvest | summer |
Passionfruit loves sun and heat. Non-hardy, it requires a minimum temperature of about 50 °F (10 °C).
For soil, it needs to be well-drained, as too much moisture during dormancy can rot the roots. The soil should also be rich and light for better plant development.
Passiflora edulis, being non-hardy, it’s best to plant it in spring rather than in fall.
In regions with harsh winters, you can grow passionfruit in a pot. In this case, it needs to be quite large and have holes for water drainage. The substrate to use is a mixture of 20 to 25% sand, the rest being potting soil.
Before filling the pot, put a drainage layer at the bottom (clay pebbles or gravel).
Note that although passionfruit can be grown in a pot, fruiting will be rarer. That’s why it’s recommended to grow it in open ground, but under a greenhouse or nursery.
Passion fruit can be grown three ways, and the choice decides how much fruit you get. Match the method to your winter before you plant.
| Growing method | Suited to | Fruiting | What it needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open ground outdoors | Warm gardens that stay above about 50 °F (10 °C) | Best, in summer | Sun and heat, rich light soil, a stake at the base |
| Large container | Regions with harsh winters | Rarer | A very large pot with drainage holes, 20–25% sand in the potting mix, winterisation before first frosts |
| Open ground under cover | Cooler areas with a greenhouse or nursery | Recommended option for fruit | Shelter, plus watch for red spider mites, whitefly and scale insects |
Whichever you choose, plant in spring rather than autumn, since the plant is not hardy.
Watering during blooming and fruiting season is crucial, especially during prolonged dry spells. Soil must stay moist. Outside of this time, water inputs can be more moderate, especially for potted passion fruit during its dormancy. This cultivation method also requires proper winterization before first frosts arrive.
Boost grenadilla’s growth and production with a potassium-rich fertilizer once a month from start of vegetation. Stay clear of nitrogen-rich fertilizers. They encourage leaves at expense of flowers and fruit.
Annual pruning of grenadilla occurs between end of winter and start of spring (March-April). It’s mainly about:
Revitalizing the base can be done by cutting branches back to 1 to 2 feet from the stump, keeping only the most vigorous and healthy stems. Mind you, such a prune delays blooming by a year or even two. So don’t do it too often.
You can sow grenadilla in a heated greenhouse in fall, then transplant seedlings in the following spring. Layering is also an option in summer, as are cuttings from green stems in June or semi-hardened ones at end of summer.
Passion fruit is a hardy plant. It can still be targeted by certain pests:
You should harvest grenadilla during summer when its color matures (yellow or purple), and the skin starts to wrinkle. After picking, it doesn’t keep for more than a few days, so best to pick as needed. This way, you soak up all its benefits.
For further reading:
Common names: grenadilla, edible passionflower, passion fruit, maracuja
Passiflora edulis or grenadilla is the famous passion fruit. Native to Brazil, it boasts big, shiny leaves reaching up to 8 inches (20 cm). It also sports white and purple flowers and, of course, edible oval yellow or violet fruits.
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