By: Daniel Greiner
I have always loved tropical looking plants even though I live in Michigan in zone 5. When I heard that there was a passion vine that was hardy to zone 6, I was immediately interested. The flower pictured below is Passiflora ‘incense’
This is a hybrid between Passiflora cinnicata x incarnata.
This marriage of hardiness and improved floral color and size makes for a stunning flower. This vine is reportedly hardy to zone 6. I’m sure your wondering how this works when I live in zone 5? I Keep the plant growing in a large pot and in the fall I bury the pot and all right up against the foundation of my house. The foundation stays warm enough in the winter to keep things from freezing. I have canna lilies that come up year after year there for that reason. Micro climates can extend your ability to grow things.
Here is a close up of the flower and if you could see it yourself not only does it look amazing but the smell is very rich and sweet!
Pictured below is P. incarnata alba ‘bills delight’ this is a not often seen selection and a real treat.
Passion Vine cultivars
This picture shows a sample of P. incarnata alba, P. incarnata, and P. incense.
Passion vine flowers are self incompatible and require another plant that is not genetically identical to outcross with. When flowers do get pollenated, small edible ping pong sized fruits develop.
Below is a video of a be pollenating a passion flower.
When fully ripe the fruits exterior takes on a golden hue and when it dimples you know its ripe to pick. It has sweet tart flavor and some relish its flavor.
If you desire to try and grow passion vine in cold northern areas you should try and acquire a rooted cutting, or sucker as these will establish in a pot much more rapidly. You want to try and get an advanced root system developed by fall. Seeds are not effective means to start plants for the purpose of getting a sizable plant to overwinter as they germinate so slowly.
Cultural Requirements
Passion vine like to grow in full sun. They are often found on moist ridges in full sun with their roots are shaded and the vining portions scrambling up bushes and nearby upright plants. They like a well drained, but evenly moist soil. When growing in a pot keep this in mind. You may want to add extra perlite to the media to enhance the drainage. Since this vine grows so rapidly when growing in a confined pot you will want to make sure that it is rich enough to support this type of growth without exhausting. A vine can easily grow 10 ft or more in a single season and can be cut down to the ground in the fall. Since I’m in the north and growing in a pot the plants suckering nature is of no concern to me, however others warn of its spreading tendencies.
Conclusion
Now that you have been introduced to this exotic tropical beauty with the hardiness to survive the north, please try this out for yourself. If you like tropical plants and live where its cold, your garden wouldn’t be compete without passion and passion vine.
Passion Vine Gallery
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Hi) Can you tell where I can buy this passiflora alba ‘bills delight’ ? (seeds or plant)
Groovy plant nursery in Ohio I believe is the only place i know that carries this now. I originally got it from a herb nursery in Ohio but they are no longer in business.