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 ten or more petal-like 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.
'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 Pons-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 out building. 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.

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 robust hybrids, similar in habit and appearance to the better-known “P. 'Jamesonii', below. 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. I would describe the color 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.

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 friut is as large as a goose egg with a purple skin and decicious 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. phoenecia ‘Ruby Glow’ and P. incarnata. It is nearly as vigorous as the phonecia 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 set 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 filament. Much more vigorous and better colored that the common clone. Sent to the US from Linda Escobar, an expert in the Tacsonia Section of Passiflora and grown on by Patrick Worley. Should replace other forms.20-25°

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

'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 (as opposed to the many immoderate ones) in size and growth, with many slender, angled stems. The leaves are about 2" across, with two large, winglike 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/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 ‘Coral Glow’, but are deeper and rosier in color. Like the others, it is not for the faint of heart or short of space.

'Witchcraft'™ This new Patrick Jesse Pons-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.