| Blue Passion Flower | |
| Passiflora caerulea | |
| a.k.a. Blue Crown Passion Flower |
Extremely fast growing, hardy passionflower producing egg shaped orange fruits with deep red, edible pulp, although not as tasty as the purple passion fruit. Flowers are ornate, multi-colored, with a minty scent much like the fruit of the pineapple guava.
Description: Extremely fast growing vine that may grow up to 30ft a season.
Hardiness: This
is one of the hardiest passion flowers, dying back in colder climates
but hardy to 10F. It will regrow from roots the following year. In warmer
climates without much frost, the vine will grow and bloom throughout the
year.
White flowered form (P. caerulea Nancy Garrison)
Growing Environment: Likes lots of water, moist soil, and prefers a humid environment
but will tolerate almost anything outside of desert conditions. Easy to
grow in a container or the ground, but support must be provided.
Propagation: Almost always grown from seeds, but can be propagated by cuttings. Bottom
heating the seeds at 70-80F can result in germination at 1-2 weeks, at
lower temperatures seeds can take up to 10 weeks to germinate.
Ripe fruits
Uses: Fruit is eaten fresh or used in drinks. A tea is sometimes made of the flower and is said to alleviate stress and anxiety.
Native Range: Wild range extends throughout Central and South America and as far north as the Southern United States. Has naturalized in many parts of the world.
Foliage