PASSIFLORA. Passion vine. Widely distributed,
especially in South America. Often massive vines, useful for covering almost
any structure strong enough to support them. Their large lobed, often shiny
leaves are quite decorative, but they are especially prized for their large
blossoms. These are distinguished by a crown of narrow radiating filaments held
above the ten (five tepals and 5 petals) petal segments. The following are mostly summer blooming.
They are easily grown but beloved by various caterpillars (especially that of
the beautiful Gulf fritillary), whitefly, and mites. Sun or light shade, rich,
reasonably well drained soils, moderate watering. Hardiness varies.
actinia
Passiflora
actinia is an outstanding
species that produces masses of sweetly scented flowers in a huge spring flush
starting in April and lasting for months. When September approaches is starts
again re-blooming for another month or more. The flowers are often described
as old-fashioned ballet dresses, dancing maids or just plain lovely. The foliage
is dark green and oval with a darker underside. It has proved to be quite hardy
and has come back from 20 degree temperatures. It is a vigorous grower with
slender branches that are easily kept under control. 20-25°F.
'Blue Horizon'™
is a beautiful new hybrid. It features masses of flowers with deep blue filaments
in two rows over pure white petals. The deep green foliage has five lobes and
is sturdy. This outstanding new Patrick Worley hybrid is vigorous and blooms
over a very long season. This plant is excellent for a sunny location and makes
a good, rapidly growing screen for an unsightly fence or outbuilding. 20-25°F
caerulea
‘ Spyder’.
P. caerulea itself is all but absent from the trade here in the West,
though its superior hardiness should make it popular in northern California.
It is a vigorous vine with narrowly lobed, shiny, somewhat crinkled leaves.
This hybrid has very narrow lobes and superior hardiness. When grown in the
shade the flowers are few but the leaves can get very large and the narrow aspect
make for an interesting effect. Keep well watered. 20-25°F.
citrina.
One would hardly guess this to be a passion vine without looking carefully inside
the flowers. It grows at a leisurely pace to about 10' high. The stems are slender
and lined by dark green leaves, about 2" long and nearly bell shaped in
outline. Soft yellow blossoms, flaring to 1" across decorate the plant
much of the year, most heavily in late summer and fall. Probably 20-25°F.
‘Coral Glow’.
One of the more robust hybrids, similar in habit and appearance to the better-known
P. 'Jamesonii',. This Patrick Worley hybrid will tolerate more heat than others
of the Tacsonia section of Passiflora. Unrestrained, it would probably make
a mass 20-30' high and wide. It has broadly 3-lobed, shiny leaves up to 6"
across. The flowers are pendant and measure up to 4" across. The flower
could be described as“hot neon pink”, cooling as the flowers age.
20-25°F.
'Donna
Brigham'
This
new Patrick Jesse Pons-Worley hybrid is the first of its kind with inch long
filaments inherited from its P. pinnatistipula father. The tri-lobed,
medium green leaves have an interesting bubbled texture with a deep green color
and great substance. The masses of flowers bloom over a very long period. The
plant is a very vigorous and rapid grower. Another Suncrest Nurseries, Inc.
exclusive. 20-25°F.
edulis ‘Black Knight’ is Patrick Worley's outstanding hybrid of the passion fruit vine. It has shiny bright green, slightly crinkled leaves, 2" white blossoms, and 2-3" black-skinned, egg shaped fruits, well filled with sweet, spicy pulp. Created to be compact,as passiflora go, it makes an excellent container plant. It is self fruitful. 20-25°F.
edulis 'Frederick'
Passiflora
edulis 'Frederick' is the premier fruit producing passiflora for warmer
areas of Southern California and will grow inland with protection. The flowers
are fragrant and large. The fruit is as large as a goose egg with a purple skin
and delicious pulp when ripe. The fruit should never be picked, it must fall
naturally. If it is allowed to wrinkle a bit after collecting, it becomes sweet
ambrosia. The plant is very productive in warm areas. This outstanding Patrick
Worley hybrid is vigorous and blooms from late spring until fall. This plant
is excellent for a sunny location and makes a good, rapidly growing screen for
an unsightly fence or outbuilding. For the Passionfruit Cookbook,
by Patrick Jesse Pons-Worley click here: www.ponsworley.com to go to the site.
‘Elizabeth’.
A spectacular hybrid by Patrick Worley, using P. phoenicea ‘Ruby
Glow’ and P. incarnata. It is nearly as vigorous as the phoenicea
parent and has heavy, ridged, bright green stems. Spaced along the stems
are large, bright green, very shiny leaves. Throughout the warmer months it
carries an abundance of 4" blossoms, colored purple throughout. An interesting
feature of each flower is what appear to be hundreds of filaments in the corona,
curled and twisted at their tips. 20-25°F.
'Eynsford Gem'
An
older variety but still rarely seen in the garden. It has flowers of great substance
with an unusual mauve pink color. It is a thrifty compact grower and is easily
kept in bounds. Another color in the passiflora pallet.
'Gloria Moreno'™.
A hybrid by Patrick Worley, lost for a year or two and discovered among a group
of ‘Susan Brigham’ (described below). It has the typical three-lobed
leaves of P. mixta but with longer lobes. The flowers also have the long
tubes of that species but are distinguished by deeper color and the habit of
opening more widely. 25°F. or less.
'Indigo Dreams'
A
nearly white background of petals sets off the dark violet filaments that fill
the center of the flower. The sturdy, dark green, five lobed foliage is the
perfect foil for this stunning flower. The flowers are produced abundantly.
An unusual feature of this Patrick Worley hybrid is that the flowers remain
open up to four days, rather than just one day as with nearly all other Passiflora.
20-25°F.
‘Lavender Lady’.
This is one of the most beautiful passiflora hybrids produced to date. It was
made by Patrick Worley using P. amethystina and P. caerulea and
seems to combine the best features of both parents. It is closely branched and
covered solidly with dark bluish green, 3-lobed leaves. Flowers are produced
continuously in our climate, with peaks in spring and fall. Each blossom is
about 4" across. The outer segments have reddish violet margins shading
to nearly white centers, while the inner segments are painted lavender. The
corona combines bands of purple, white and deep maroon. It was undamaged at
20° in 1990, and may endure considerably
lower temperatures.
manicata
'Linda Escobar'
The
flowers are intense red with a glowing quality and cobalt blue filaments. Much
more vigorous and better colored than the common clone. Sent to the US by
Linda Escobar, an expert in the Tacsonia Section of Passiflora and grown on
by Patrick Worley. Should replace other forms. 20-25 F°
mixta
A cool growing species with long tubed flowers that face outward and upward
at a 45 degree angle. The color is a vibrant pink with white highlights. It
is a large and vigorous grower and puts on an amazing show. The variety 'Galupa'
has flowers that face outward and downward at a 45 degree angle and are a bit
larger in overall aspect. A very beautiful species
Passiflora 'Purple Tiger'
A hybrid
by Patrick Worley. A tropical looking plant with unusual winged stems and large,
oval, waxy, deep green leaves. The flowers are very large with deep red petals
and tiger striped filaments that are wavy at the ends. The flowers are sweetly
scented and are extraordinary for their size, form and great beauty. They grow
best in warm protected areas with full sun near the coast. Flowers appear over
a very long period.
'Quasar'™
Passiflora ‘Quasar' is a vigorous grower with dark green, lobed leaves.
The flowers are produced abundantly and have filaments and petals of pure white.
This plant does not become invasive and makes an excellent rapidly growing cover
for a fence or small building. It is evergreen in our climate and the white
flowers do not burn or turn yellow in full Sun. 20-25 °F
sanguinolenta ‘Maria
Rosa’.
A more moderate passiflora in size and growth, with many slender, angled stems.
The leaves are about 2" across, with two large, wing-like lobes. Nestled
among them most of the season are flared 1½” blossoms, pink to maroon–in
this case, coral–in color. This is a beautiful vine for smaller gardens.
A more vigorous clone than others with a larger flower with a darker color.
A Patrick Worley selection.
‘Susan Brigham’.
Still another Worley hybrid, with the general features of the mixta x
manicata hybrids, but all of them “more so”. It is a similarly
rampant grower with long, heavy stems. The leaves are quite large, with three
long lobes, dark and shiny in surface. The flowers not only have broader faces than
‘Coral Glow’, but are deeper and rosier in color. Like the others,
it is not for the faint of heart or short of space. 20-25°F.
'Witchcraft'™
This new Patrick Worley
hybrid is the darkest flower yet. The masses of flowers bloom over a very long
period. The flower petals are reflexed so that it is visible from all angles.
The plants branch profusely and have proven to be very frost resistant Another
Suncrest Nurseries, Inc. exclusive.