Passifloras may be propagated either by cuttings or seeds. They may be rooted from young growth taken any time from the middle of January until April. These cuttings are placed in a warm propagating-bed, and kept shaded and moist, and in a short tune they will root; they are also inserted in small pots in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand, in equal parts, and plunged in the propagating-bed. When rooted, the cuttings are potted off, using a compost of loam four parts, leaf-mold two parts, well-rotted cow-manure one part, and which should contain enough sand to keep it porous. Keep shaded until they become well established, when they may be given a place well up to the glass in full sun. The passifloras are also readily raised from seed sown in spring, and the plants potted off as soon as big enough.
The plants will stand a night temperature of 65° to 70°: this can be increased until it reaches 80°F to 85°F for a day temperature with sun. Give ventilation daily, taking into account the state of the weather; while they like plenty of heat, they will not do well in a stagnant atmosphere; therefore, give air on all favorable occasions. Every morning in bright weather, give them a good syringing, as this is a great aid in keeping them in vigor and supplying the desired atmospheric moisture, but this does not mean a very humid atmosphere. By pinching, the plants are made to produce several growths. These plants can be shifted until they are in 10- or 12-inch pots. The growth may be trained on pillars or along rafters of the conservatory.
When planted out in about 8 or 10 inches of soil, passifloras will cover a very large space, but sometimes to such an extent as to obscure the whole glass. The best place is on a back wall in some house where they may ramble at will. Keep well syringed until they how flower, when syringing should be discontinued until they are through blooming. After the plants have covered the position allotted to them, all that is required is the regulation of the young growth, so as to keep them from becoming entangled. In winter they may be cut back and the exhausted soil replaced by good rich compost. They will not need a high temperature, doing well in 55°F to 60°F at night. When they start off into growth again, keep raising the temperature until it has reached the figures already stated. They may now be given manure water regularly and throughout the growing season. Keep down thrip, red-spider, and mealy-bug by syringing and sponging.
The edible-fruited passifloras.
The principal species of Passiflora that are cultivated for their fruits in tropical and subtropical regions are P. quadrangularis, the granadilla, granadilla real of Costa Rica, barbadine of the French colonies, pasion- aria of Cuba, maracuja melao of Brazil; P. edulis, also called granadilla, as well as passion-fruit; and P. laurifolia, the water-lemon of the British West Indies, pomme-liane of the French colonies. While P. quad-rangularis is a common garden plant in tropical America, it is not so extensively grown in any region as is P. edulis in Australia. In the United States these species can be grown only in the warmest regions; in California P. edulis is the only one that is successfully cultivated in the open, the other two species being much more susceptible to frost; in south Florida all three can be grown, although the tropical species are sometimes injured by frost.
The true granadilla (P. quadrangularis) is a strong rapid-growing climber, frequently planted for ornament in tropical regions and allowed to cover arbors and pergolas. Its brownish yellow ovoid fruits are sometimes 8 inches in length, and within the thin brittle pericarp is a large number of small flattened seeds surrounded by gelatinous pulp and subacid juice. When green, they are sometimes boiled and used as a vegetable; when ripe, the acidulous pulp is refreshing, and is used to prepare cooling drinks, or is eaten with a spoon directly from the fruit.
The passion-fruit (P. edulis) is considerably smaller than the granadilla, rarely larger than a hen’s egg, and dull purple when ripe. Its pulp is slightly more acid than that of the granadilla, but of very pleasant flavor, and highly esteemed in Queensland and New South Wales, where the plant is cultivated commercially. It is used for flavoring sherbets, for confectionery, for icing cakes, for “trifles,“—a dish composed of sponge cake, fruits, cream, and white of egg,—for jams, and for other table purposes. The pulp is also eaten directly from the fruit, after adding a little sugar, or is used to prepare a refreshing drink, by beating it up in a glass of ice-water and adding a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. The plants are grown on trellises about 6 feet high; at the top of the trellis is nailed a crosspiece 18 inches long, from the ends of which are run two wires, the long branches being allowed to hang down over these to the ground. The rows are placed 15 feet apart, with the vines 15 feet apart in the row_. The young plants must be protected in regions subject to frost: they begin bearing the second year, sometimes producing a few fruits the first season, and continue in profitable production four to six years, when they must be renewed. By proper pruning, two crops a year can be secured, in regions not subject to frost. The most suitable soil seems to be sandy loam, although other soils will grow the plant successfully. Manure should be supplied liberally. In Australia, the profits of passion-fruit culture are reported to run from $100 to $300 an acre annually. Because of the short life of the vines, they are often planted as a catch-crop in young orchards which have not yet come into bearing. Like P. quadrangularis, this species is often grown as an ornamental plant, and makes an excellent and rapid-growing cover for fences and trellises.
The passifloras are easily propagated by seeds or cuttings, the latter method being preferable in most cases. Seeds should be removed from the fruit, dried in a shady place, and planted in flats of light soil. They do not germinate very quickly, but the young plants are easily raised, and may be set out in the open ground when six months to a year old. Cuttings should be taken from fairly well-matured shoots, and should be about 6 inches in length. They are easily rooted in sand, no bottom heat being required. Cuttings of P. edulis will often fruit in pots at the age of one to two years, and form very interesting greenhouse plants. While this species usually fruits prolifically, P. quad- rangularis sometimes requires hand-pollination when grown outside its native habitat.
Exerpted from
Passionfruit Virus
At the end of the growing season after production of a bountiful crop, passionfruit vines can look tired and in need of a well-earned rest. In some cases, vines will show characteristic mosaic leaf yellowing that indicates presence of a virus disease. Such diseases are often present in plants from an early age, but only begin to gain the upper hand when the vine is occupied with fruit production or stressed in some way. Affected vines may continue to grow, flower and fruit in coming seasons, but will always lack vigour. Unfortunately there is no cure for virus affected plants. Given their rapid growth rate, high productivity and short lifespan, passionfruit vines are best replaced every few years.
and Passiflora herbertiana (yellow flowers) are native to the south coast of NSW though the latter only grows north of Narooma.
