Q&A for How to Grow Passion Fruit

Return to Full Article

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How much humidity is required for a passion flower?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    A passion flower is a tropical plant so the more humidity the better. Proper watering is important but be sure your soil is well draining. If your climate is dry, water the leaves from above as opposed to as soil level.
  • Question
    When is the right season to plant passion fruit?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    Passion fruit planted in the spring will fruit sooner than passion fruit planted in the fall. It may take 6 months to a year for a passion fruit planted in the spring and upwards of 1 year if planted in the fall.
  • Question
    How long does it take to get the fruit?
    Community Answer
    It takes 18 months, on average,for a new plant. Sometimes, well taken care of plants will bear fruit in approximately one year.
  • Question
    My grafted vine is huge. However, although it flowers, it doesn't fruit. Any ideas? I feed it and have given it some dolomite.
    Community Answer
    It may need a partner. Some varieties will not set fruit unless there is another vine of the same type close by.
  • Question
    Is it normal for the leaves on a Passion Fruit tree to turn yellow?
    Community Answer
    No. In general, yellow leaves mean a lack of nutrients. They could also be caused by cold weather or insufficient irrigation.
  • Question
    The color of the fruit by the time they drop is still green, although I planted the purple variety. Is this normal?
    Community Answer
    Mine often drop when they are just beginning to turn purple. Store them at room temperature (I normally store mine along with my apples in a bowl on the counter) and let them ripen. They should turn dark purple in a week or even two and become very wrinkled - the more wrinkled, the sweeter they get. They'll also develop a delicious aroma.
  • Question
    What kind of fertilizer is to be used in boosting fruits?
    Community Answer
    I use citrus fertilizer on mine and it does just fine. 6-4-6 I believe it is.
  • Question
    How can you tell a male from a female plant?
    Community Answer
    There is no male or female plant. All healthy plants' flowers have both 'male' and 'female' parts. If you are lacking the fruit, you just probably need to hand-pollinate them, which means to pick the pollen with the tips of your fingers and touch the pistils of another flower with them.
  • Question
    What do I plant to grow a passion fruit?
    Community Answer
    Either a passion fruit seed from a ripe passion fruit or a cutting from another passion fruit plant.
  • Question
    What spacing should I use when planting?
    Bugingo Collins
    Community Answer
    The interrow spacing for passion fruits is three meters by five for most varieties. This helps in agronomic practices of weeding, spraying, pruning and harvesting, and also allows intercropping with crops like bush beans, which gives the farmer double benefit.
  • Question
    Is this the same plant as passionflower?
    Community Answer
    No, passionflowers, also known as "passiflora" or "passion vines," are a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants, and the namesakes of the family Passifloraceae. They are mostly vines, with some being shrubs, and a few species being herbaceous.
  • Question
    What does a forming flower look like and where on the vine does it sprout from?
    Community Answer
    It makes a tetrahedrical balloon and inside it develops petals which open when the balloon is full. It is a beautiful, red, brown, yellow flower.
  • Question
    How long will it take for the seeds to germinate?
    Community Answer
    If passion fruit seeds are stored for a long time, it may take up to 3 months, and the germination rate can be low. This is typical for seeds that are bought from a store, so you're better off starting from seeds from the fruit.
  • Question
    Can passion fruit be planted to hang down a sunny wall?
    Community Answer
    Yes absolutely. You will have to train it by guiding its climbing patterns so that it will cover the whole wall.
  • Question
    Our passion fruit is a year-and-a-half old. It has healthy vines but no fruit. What should we do?
    Community Answer
    Probably you will have to hand pollinate it in order to get fruit. Also, you check the quality of your soil (compost %, acidity levels, etc.).
  • Question
    Why does the fruit not have anything in it?
    Community Answer
    There is nothing in the middle, but there are seeds and fruit on the sides. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds and fruit pulp and eat that.
  • Question
    Is it true that the vine stops producing fruit after three years?
    Community Answer
    A passion fruit vine has an average of life of 3-4 years, and rarely produces for more than 5 years.
  • Question
    If my passion fruit starts branching, does that mean it will start flowering?
    Community Answer
    Of course, but it depends on whether it's a young plant or old plant. If it's young, then you have to wait from about six months to about one year to flower. If it's old, then it should flower in the future, quickly.
  • Question
    I’ve discovered these growing like wildfire on my hobby farm in the upstate of South Carolina! My in-laws from Central America we’re shocked. Is it common for them to grow this far North?
    Community Answer
    No, you are a lucky person. Take care of those plants and save the seeds. Maybe give some seeds or cuttings to other gardeners.
  • Question
    Can passionfruit be planted in a pot? Or must it be in the ground?
    Community Answer
    It is recommended to plant it in the ground so as not to restrict the roots from spreading.
  • Question
    My passionfruit blossoms keep falling off even though I have fertilized the plants and attracted pollinators. Could I be over watering it? What should I do for my plant?
    Community Answer
    Rain, overcast conditions, cold and wind can all delay fruit formation. Also, over fertilizing with a high nitrogen fertilizer can cause flowers to drop and will prevent fruit from forming.
  • Question
    What's the difference between purple and yellow passionfruit?
    Community Answer
    The yellow form has a more vigorous vine and generally larger fruit than the purple, but the pulp of the purple is less acid, richer in aroma and flavor, and has a higher proportion of juice-35-38%. The purple form has black seeds, the yellow, brown seeds.
  • Question
    How do I prune my passionfruit plant?
    Community Answer
    First, cut off any dead, weak or diseased portions of the vine. Next, remove tangled vines by cutting them away with hand pruners. Then, prune away up to one-third of the existing vine to promote new growth. Finally, repeat pruning the entire vine each spring after the last frost, but cut away dead vines anytime you see them during the year.
  • Question
    Can I grow passionfruit in a greenhouse if I live in a cold climate?
    Community Answer
    You can, but you don't have to. Most passionfruit plants require a warm climate with mild winters, but there are hardy varieties that can withstand cold winters. They will produce edible fruit, but they will be small but tasty nonetheless. If you want to plant the vine outside, plant it in a sunny, sheltered spot, preferably against a south-facing wall.
  • Question
    Should I prune a passion fruit tree?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you should prune a passion fruit tree in order to keep it healthy and make it look nice.
  • Question
    How do I water passion fruit?
    Community Answer
    Water your passion fruit deeply once a week in the spring and summer.
Ask a Question

      Return to Full Article