How long to grow passion fruit from seed

Passion fruit is a form of berry that grows on the passion fruit plant. Passion fruit is easy to grow.

There are two types of passion fruit plants–purple and yellow. The fruit of the purple passion fruit plant is purple. That fruit is slightly smaller than a lemon. The fruit of the yellow passion fruit plant is bright yellow. That fruit is about the size of a grapefruit.

Both fruits are spherical to ovoid in shape. Both fruits have an outer shell that is hard and slippery. The interior of both fruits is a transparent pulp with hard black seeds. The pulp is the edible part of the fruits; it is soft, sweet-tasting, and aromatic.

About Passion Fruit

• The botanical name of purple passion fruit is Passiflora edulis; the botanical name of yellow passion fruit is Passiflora edulis flavicarpa.
• Passion fruit is an evergreen vining plant that can grow to 30 or 40 feet in length. It is widely grown in tropical and semitropical regions of the world. In the United States, the plants are grown mostly in Florida, Hawaii, and California.
• Passion fruit plants have showy flowers 2 to 3 inches across with five greenish-white sepals surround by five white petals and a fringelike corona of white-tipped rays emerging from a rich purple base.
• Passion fruit is oval and about the size of a small plum; ripe passion fruit has wrinkled purple or yellow skins and yellow-orange flesh.
• Passion fruit is ready for harvest about 80 days after flowering.

Passion Fruit Quick Growing Tips

• Passion fruit needs frost-free winters and an average temperature of 68 to 75°F (20-24°C) during the growing season.
• Passion fruit grows well in the corner of a sunny patio or against a south-facing wall, if not grown indoors.
• Start passion fruit seeds indoors and set young plants outdoors in late spring at the same time you plant out melons.
• Train passion fruit vines up wires or a trellis.
• Water passion fruit vines plentifully and feed them with a tomato fertilizer (high in nitrogen).
• In winter cut back last year’s sideshoots to within two buds of the main stems; they won’t fruit again; cutting back sideshoots encourages the growth of new sideshoots that will bear fruit,

Best Climate and Site to Grow Passion Fruit

• Passion fruit is a tropical and subtropical plant. It is native to South America. Passion fruit vine grows best in frost-free regions.
• There are a few cultivars that can survive temperatures in the upper 20sF. Vines may lose some of their leaves in cool winters; the roots will resprout even if the foliage is killed.
• Plant passion fruit in full sun except in areas where summers are very hot; in very hot regions plant passion fruit in partial shade.
• Passion fruit is a vining plant that grows rapidly; plant passion fruit where it can climb a trellis or wire fence. Passion fruits have tendrils and are natural climbers.
• Passion fruit grows best in well-drained, compost-rich, sandy loam with a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5.
• Avoid planting passion fruit where the soil is constantly wet. Also, avoid planting passion fruit in spots where it can be damaged by wind.
• Avoid planting passion fruit in low spots where cold air or frost can settle.
• If you grow passion fruit indoors, place it in a bright south-facing window.

Choosing the Right Passion Fruit Plant

• Yellow passion fruit is sweet, acidic, and tropical with mild floral notes.
• Purple passion fruit has a flavor and aroma richer than yellow passion fruit. It is also less acidic.
• The flavor of both is reminiscent of guava.

Spacing Passion Fruit

• Passion fruits are vigorous growers. One vining plant can grow 30 to 40 feet. Train vines up a trellis or support to avoid stems of separate plants tangling. Training vines on a trellis will make fruit harvest easier.

How to Plant Passion Fruit

• Plant passion fruit where it cannot be damaged by frost or cold winter temperatures.
• Plant passion fruit in well-drained soil. A soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is optimal.
• Prepare a planting hole half again as deep as the root ball and twice as wide.
• Add a mixture of 2 cups of kelp and 1 cup of bone meal to the hole prior to planting.
• Set the plant in the hole and refill the hole around the root ball with a combination of native soil and aged compost or commercial organic planting mix. Firm in the soil so that no air pockets.
• Form a small basin of soil around the plant to hold irrigation water.
• Mulch around the base of passion fruit to conserve soil moisture, especially in dry, hot regions.

Container Growing Passion Fruit

• Passion fruit can be grown in containers, but the vigorous vines will need the support of a trellis.
• Choose a container 24 inches wide and deep or larger.

Feeding Passion Fruit

• Passion fruit plants are heavy feeders; use a 10-5-20 fertilizer. Use a high potassium fertilizer to encourage fruiting. Too much nitrogen will result in leafy growth and less fruit set.

Watering Passion Fruit

• Keep the soil evenly moist for quick, even growth. Keep the soil moist but not wet. Plant in moisture-retentive, well-drained soil.
• Consistent soil moisture is important for best fruit production; if the soil dries, the fruit will shrivel and drop.
• Overwatering can cause root rot.
• Passion fruit vines grown indoors should be placed in a saucer with pebbles; fill the saucer with water to keep the air humid.

Training and Pruning Passion Fruit

• Train passion fruit to a trellis or overhead support such as a T-post to keep separate vines from tangling and to make the harvest of fruit easier. Passion fruit has tendrils and is a natural climber.
• Prune to eliminate dead and dying and weak and unproductive growth. Prune to keep the plants within bounds. Thin passion vine to encourage air circulation.
• Prune after harvest; cut back vigorous growth by one-third.
• Avoid removing foliage that shields fruit from hot summer sunburn.

Passion Fruit Pollination

• Purple passion fruit plants are self-pollinating.
• Yellow passion fruit plants are not self-pollinating. They depend on insects to transfer pollen from one plant to the next for pollination.
• The carpenter bee is the most effective passion fruit pollinator. The pollen is heavy and sticky making pollination by honeybees difficult.

Harvest and Storing Passion Fruit

• The fruit is ready for harvest 70 to 80 days after pollination, usually in mid to late summer and sometimes longer.
• The fruit will turn from deep green to deep purple or yellow when ripe. The fruit is sweetest when slightly shriveled.
• Ripe fruit comes away from the stem easily when handled. Ripe fruit will also fall to the ground.
• Pick passion fruit when they reach full color or gather dropped fruits daily.
• Passion fruit will keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
• Both passion fruit and juice can be frozen.

How to Prepare and Eat Passion Fruit

• The flavor of passion fruit can be compared to guava.
• Ripe passion fruit is best eaten shortly after picking. Fruit that is not fully ripe can be made into preserves or juice.
• Passion fruit can be halved and the interior flesh eaten raw sprinkled with sugar or added to fruit salads. The rind of passion fruit is not edible. The seeds are edible.
• Fresh passion fruit pulp can be used as a dessert topping on cakes or ice cream.
• Passion fruit can be juiced or made into jam or jelly or into ice pops.

Passion Fruit Propagation

• Passion fruit is usually grown from seed. Seed removed from the fruit can be planted right away. Germination will occur in 10 to 20 days. Sow seed ½ to 1 inch deep.
• Passion fruit can be propagated by layering or by stem cuttings and also by grafting. Yellow passion fruit rootstock is used for grafting.
• To propagate passion fruit by stem cuttings, choose a healthy stem and cut it about 6 inches down with 3 to 4 leaf nodes; remove the bottom leaves then dip the cutting in a rooting hormone and plant it in potting mix. Rooting should occur in about 90 days.

Passion Fruit Problems and Control

• Passion fruit is susceptible to attack by insect pests and diseases.
• Fusarium fungal disease can cause foliage to wilt and dieback; remove infected foliage; space plants well apart to encourage air circulation. Plant disease-resistant varieties.
• Woodiness virus causes discoloration and crinkling of leaves, fruit is small and deformed. Aphids commonly spread this disease.
• Yellowing leaves can be caused by a lack of magnesium or nitrogen.
• Root-knot nematodes can attack roots; there is no cure for infected plants; solarize the soil when possible.
• Snails will feed on foliage; use beer traps and overturned citrus rinds to attract and catch snails. Drown snails in soapy water.
• Caterpillars chew on passion fruit leaves, stems, and fruit. Control caterpillars with Bacillus thurigiensis (Bt).

Passion Fruit Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are passion fruit vines easy to grow?

A: Passion fruit vines are relatively easy to grow and can be productive with just one vine.

Q: Do I need two passion fruit vines to get fruit?

A: Having two vines will increase the chance of getting fruit.

Q: Where do passion fruit vines grow best?

A: Passion fruit vines are not frost-hardy, so they should be planted in a warm climate. The vines will fruit throughout the year in warm climates. Grow passion fruit vine in full sun. The vines need a trellis or some other structure to climb on.

Q: How important is water for passion fruit vines?

A: Passion fruit vines require regular watering, especially during the fruiting stage.

Q: How are passion fruit flowers pollinated?

A: Passion fruit flowers are pollinated by bees, so make sure there are some around your garden.

Q: Why does passion fruit fail to produce fruit?

A: Lack of pollination or the over-application of nitrogen fertilizer can cause passion fruit not to produce fruit.

Q: What causes unripe passion fruit to drop?

A: Inconsistent watering, too much nitrogen in the soil, or insect pests can cause passion fruit to drop before it ripens.

Passion Fruit Varieties to Grow

• ‘Common Purple’ (Passiflora edulis): purple fruit; thick-skinned, with small seed cavity; very sweet, fine flavor and low acidity.
• P. edulis ‘Black Knight’ dwarf variety perfect for container growing; tangy-sweet flavor.
• Yellow passionfruit, Golden passionfruit, and Tropical passionfruit (Passiflora edulis f. Flavacarpa); are slightly more acidic than purple passion fruit; the fruit is large. Cultivars include ‘Panama Red’ and ‘Panama Gold’.
• ‘Australian Purple’ also called ‘Nelly Kelly’ or ‘Nellie Kelly’: purple fruit with a mild, sweet flavor.
• ‘Kapoho Selection’: yellow fruit; heavy bearer of large fruits; little or no pulp and juice.
• ‘Pratt Hybrid’: purple and yellow hybrid; good flavor, low in acid.
• ‘Sevcik Selection’: yellow fruit; a heavy bearer; the juice has a woody flavor.
• ‘University Round Selection’: yellow fruit; very good flavor.
• ‘University Selection No. B-74’: yellow fruit; good juice yield and very good flavor.
• ‘Waimanalo Selection’: yellow fruit; very good flavor.
• ‘Yee Selection’: yellow fruit; highly disease-resistant; fruit has a thick rind and low amount of juice; very good flavor.

Also of interest:

Passion Fruit: Kitchen Basics

How to Grow Feijoa Pineapple Guava

How to Grow Citrus

How to Grow Loquats