Passiflora edulis - Passion Fruit Vine

The white and purple ornamented Passiflora edulis flowers are great evidence that someone up there is having way too much fun. I love the colors and the exotic extra parts of the Passiflora edulis flowers. The passion fruit is this wrinkled purple thing, kind of like a 2 inch raisin when it gets ripe. The pulp is eaten off the seeds. Kind of sweet and a little tart. The passion fruit is high in vitamins A and C. It can be juiced for passionate mixed drinks. I think it is a lot of trouble to juice for breakfast, but not so bad for a special occaision. You can even make a passion fruit pie. Difficulties with growing Passiflora edulis primarily revolve around Winters that are too cold and inadequate drainage. Passiflora edulis is tender in the high 20°'s. The passion vines develop some thatch that periodically should be thinned for looks, but not for the needs of the plant. About the only garden condition that Passiflora edulis will not tolerate is sitting in boggy soil. Planting Passiflora edulis onto a south facing slope or wall is an excellent way to gain a little heat for this tropical beauty. Passion vines have interesting methods of spreading pollen. And intriguing egg mimic appendages to fool butterflies that wish to deposit their eggs.