Passionflower

Colorful Combinations

With flowers available in a myriad of colors, there's a passionflower to fit almost any palette. Along with the varied blossoms you will find, many passionflower species have intriguing foliage. The leaves tend to be medium green with three lobes. Some varieties have wing-shape foliage with a mottled silver pattern. The fruit of the passionflower is generally ornamental but sometimes edible. The fruit varies in size from that of an acorn to as large as a football. Colors range from bright green, yellow, and orange to purple.

Curious Co-Evolutions

As they've evolved, some of the 400-plus species in this genus have created relationships with insects. Some species of passionflower act as nesting and food locations for butterflies and have developed extra appendages off the base of the leaves that secrete sugary liquid to feed the insects. These plants have also grown additional nubs on their leaves that resemble butterfly eggs to discourage them from laying too many eggs on a single plant. Other species rely heavily on ant populations to protect them from predators.

Passionflower Care Must-Knows

Passionflowers are fairly easy to grow and cope with a variety of growing conditions. They appreciate well-drained soil and, once established, they are quite drought tolerant. If growing them in containers, use a well-drained potting mix, preferably with a slow-release fertilizer. For lush, dense growth, it is best to plant passionflowers in full sun, buts some species can tolerate part sun.

When growing passionflowers, keep in mind they can grow 15 to 20 feet in a single season. Make sure they have a sturdy lattice or other structure to climb. In areas where these plants are hardy, some species have escaped cultivation and become invasive, spreading via runners and underground rhizomes as well as seed dispersal from local fauna.

If you are planning on bringing your passionflowers indoors during the winter, trim them back to the size that fits your space requirements.

More Varieties of Passionflower

Passionflower Details

'Blue Bouquet' passionflower

This variety of Passiflora offers large, 3-inch-wide blue flowers and is one of the best varieties to grow as a houseplant. It climbs 10 feet or more. Zones 9-11.

Blue passionflower

Passiflora caerulea offers large, 3-inch-wide blue-and-white flowers on a fast-growing vine with hand-shape foliage. In mild-winter climates, it can climb 30 feet or more. Zones 7-10.

'Elizabeth' passionflower

This selection of Passiflora is a stunning variety with fragrant 5-inch-wide lavender-purple flowers. It can climb 10 feet or more. Zones 10-11.

Passiflora alatocaerulea

Passiflora alatocaerulea offers fragrant large, 5-inch-wide flowers on a fast-growing vine. It can climb 15 feet or more. Zones 10-11.

'Maypop' passionflower

Passiflora incarnata is native to areas of North America. It bears 3-inch-wide lavender flowers all summer and into fall. It climbs 10 feet or more. Zones 6-9.

'Lady Margaret' passionflower

This variety of Passiflora is one of the most spectacular varieties. It sports blood-red flowers with a white center and climbs 15 feet or more. Zone 11.

Passiflora citrina

Passiflora citrina has everblooming plants sport clear yellow trumpet shaped blooms on wing shaped velvety leaves. Zones 10-11.

Red passionflower

Passiflora vitifolia produces amazing 6-inch-wide crimson-red flowers from summer to fall outdoors and all year indoors. It can climb 20 feet or more. Zones 10-11.

'White Wedding' passionflower

This variety of Passiflora is a tetraploid selection with lots of vigor and fragrant, large pure-white flowers. It climbs to 20 feet or more. Zones 8-10.