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PASSIFLORA EDULIS/P.EDULIS FLAVICARPA
- Passion Fruit |
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CULTURE |
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Location: Plant passion fruit vines
in full sun except in very hot areas where partial shade is preferable.
The vine can be rather rampant, so it is important to plant it
next to a chain link fence or install a strong trellis before
planting. The plants can also be trained into an attractive arbor.
Soil: Passion fruit vines grow on many soil types but light to
heavy sandy loams with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 are the most suitable.
Excellent drainage is absolutely necessary. Also, the soil should
be rich in organic matter and low in salts. If the soil is too
acid, lime must be applied. Because the vines are shallow-rooted,
they will benefit from a thick layer of organic mulch.
Irrigation: Regular watering will
keep a vine flowering and fruiting almost continuously. Water
requirement is high when fruits are approaching maturity. If the
soil is dry, fruits may shrivel and fall prematurely.
Fertilization: Passion fruit vines
are vigorous growers and require regular fertilizing. A good choice
is 10-5-20 NPK applied at the rate of 3 pounds per plant 4 times
a year. Too much nitrogen results in vigorous foliage growth at
the expense of flowering. Passion fruit vines should always be
watched for deficiencies, particularly in potassium and calcium,
and of less importance, magnesium. Plants that have been damaged
by frost should receive a generous fertilizing after the weather
has warmed
Pruning: Pruning is necessary to
keep the vines within bounds, to make harvest easier and to keep
the plants productive by maintaining vigorous growth. In warm
winter climates prune immediately after harvest. In areas with
cool winters prune in early spring. As a a general rule remove
all weak growth and cut back vigorous growth by at least one third.
In very hot climates allow a thick canopy of foliage to grow around
the fruit to prevent sunburn.
Frost Protection: Because of their
mass, passion fruit vines are difficult to cover when freezes
threaten, but the layers of leaves help protect the inner branches
from frost damage. The plant will also usually come back even
when frozen to the ground. The best strategy is to grow the vines
against a wall or deck or in a patio. Any kind of overhead protection
provides additional benefits.
Propagation: Passion fruit vines
are usually grown from seeds. With the yellow form seedling variation
provides cross-pollination and helps overcome the problem of self-sterility.
Seed planted soon after removal from the fruit will germinate
in 10 to 20 days. Cleaned and stored seeds have a lower and slower
rate of germination. Seeds should be planted 1/2 to 1 inch deep
in beds, and seedlings may be transplanted when 10 inches high.
If taller (up to 3 feet), the tops should be cut back and the
plants heavily watered.
Plants can also be propagated by layers or cuttings of matured
wood with 3 to 4 nodes. Rooting may be hastened by hormone treatment.
Cuttings should be well rooted and ready for setting out in 90
days. Grafting is an important means of perpetuating hybrids and
reducing nematode damage and diseases by utilizing the resistant
yellow passion fruit rootstock. Scions of healthy young plants
are grafted to seedlings, making sure the diameter of the scion
matches that of the rootstock. Either a cleft graft, whip graft
or side-wedge graft may be made.
Pests and diseases: In tropical areas
passion fruit vines are attacked by a host of pests and diseases.
In these areas the purple passion fruit is particularly susceptible
to nematodes, while the yellow passion fruit is more nematode
resistant. In California the problems are much less severe, although
the plants can be afflicted with nematodes and viruses as well
as Fusarium and other diseases that thrive in cool soils. Nematodes
are partially responsible for the short life of many passion fruit
vines. Snails can also be a serious problem in California, often
completely stripping a vine of leaves and bark, killing young
plants or predisposing them to disease.
Harvest: The fruit will quickly turn
from green to deep purple (or yellow) when ripe and then fall
to the ground within a few days. They can either be picked when
they change color or gathered from the ground each day. To store
passion fruit, wash and dry them gently and place them in bags.
They should last 2 to 3 weeks at 50‹ F. The fruit
is sweetest when slightly shriveled. Both the fruit and the juice
freeze well. The flavor of passion fruit blends well with citrus
and many other fruit flavors, and is quickly appreciated by many
people as they become familiar with it.
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CULTIVARS |
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Purple form
Black Knight
Developed in Massacusetts for pot culture by Patrick Worley. Fragrant,
dark purple-black fruit, the size and shape of large egg. Flavor
excellent. Vigorous, compact vine, self-fertile, very fruitful.
Handsome glossy foliage. Excellent for containers.
Edgehill
Originated in Vista, Calif. Similar to Black Knight, but more
vigorous, larger growing and with larger purple fruit. One of
the best outdoor cultivars for Southern California.
Frederick
Originated in Lincoln Acres, Calif. by Patrick Worley. Kahuna
X Brazilian Golden. Large, nearly oval fruit, greenish-purple
with reddish cast. Slightly tart flavor. Good for eating out of
hand, excellent for juicing. Extremely vigorous, self-fruitful
vine. Very productive, more compact than P. edulis flavicarpa.
Kahuna
Very large, medium purple fruit. Sweet, subacid flavor. Good for
juicing. Vigorous, productive self-fertile vine. Produces over
a long season. Large, attractive foliage.
Paul Ecke
Originated in Encinitas, Calif. Medium-sized purple fruit of very
good quality. Suitable for juicing and eating out of hand. Compact,
very productive vine.
Purple Giant
Very large fruit, dark purple when mature.
Red Rover
Originated in Lincoln Acres, Calif. by Patrick Worley. Kahuna
X Brazilian Golden. Medium to large, roundish fruit. Rind an attractive
clear red color. Sweet, notably rich flavor with tart overtones,.
Good for eating out of hand or juicing. Vine very vigorous, compact
and self-fertile.
Yellow form
Brazilian Golden
Large, golden-yellow fruits, larger than standard forms. Flavor
somewhat tart. Extremely vigorous vine, requiring cross-pollination.
Extra large, fragrant flowers, white with a dark center, blooming
during mid-summer. Produces one large crop beginning in late August
or early September.
Golden Giant
A large yellow-fruited cultivar that originated in Australia.
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