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.
caerulea ‘Constance Elliott’. 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. ‘Constance Elliott’ is a selection featuring large, pure white blossoms. 18oF or less.
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 20-25oF.
‘Coral Glow’. One of the robust hybrids, similar in habit and appearance to the better-known “P. jamesonii”, below. 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. 20-25oF.
edulis ‘Black Knight’ is Patrick Worley's outstanding selection of the commercial 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. 20-25oF.
‘Elizabeth’. A spectacular hybrid by Patrick Worley, using P. alata ‘Ruby Glow’ and P. incarnata. It is nearly as vigorous as the alata 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. 20-25oF.
x exoniensis. A spectacular hybrid received from Rick McCain and Patrick Worley. It involves P. mollissima, described above, and resembles it both in foliage and in the form and presentation of the flowers. However, the coloring is unique and stunning: Dark green and brownish red outside, and an almost indescribable, deep electric pink inside. Hardiness is still uncertain; for now, assume it to be as tender as P. mollissima.
“jamesonii” (mixta x manicata). Though not the actual species jamesonii, this hybrid has been circulated for many years under that name. A separate hybrid designation would help clear up the confusion. Unfortunately, its occasional sale as P. manicata ‘Coral Seas’ only half corrects the problem. It has smooth, broadly 3-lobed leaves with a soft sheen. Throughout the warmer months, 3-4" flowers dot the plant. They have a long tube below the petals and are colored bright coral pink above, with blue corona. About 20oF.
‘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 20o in 1990, and may endure considerably lower temperatures.
mixta (clone to be named). Received from Pat Worley, this promises to be an excellent choice for northern California. It much resembles P. “jamesonii”, above, of which it is one of the parents, having nearly identical foliage, the same blooming season, floriferousness and similar flower color. However, the flowers have distinctly longer (about 4") tubes and are more cupped at the face, rather than opening flat. Most importantly, it is several degrees hardier: Of all our passion vines subjected to the 1990 freeze, it was one of only two untouched. Probably 18oF or less.
mixta hybrid . A hybrid by Pat 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. 25oF. or less.
mollissima. Banana passion fruit. This is a beautiful but fearsomely vigorous vine, galloping over any available support. The leaves are large, dark and narrowly lobed. Bright pink 3" blossoms with long tubes hang from the stems most of the summer, giving way to yellow fruits up to 6" long. These have edible—in some cases delicious—flesh. One of the more tender species, seriously damaged at 25o and below.
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.
‘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 than “jamesonii” and ‘Coral Glow’, but are deeper and rosier in color. Like the others, it is not for the faint of heart or short of space.