Passiflora Seed Germination

I’m getting some passion flower seeds: I think P. edulis (purple fruit) and P. quadrangularis. I’ve read that they can be pretty hard to germinate with very erratic behavior. Are there any tricks/information that you might be able to provide for a successful and speedy germination? How long should it take? I’ve heard that you could treat them with hot (not boiling) water for a faster germination. Does that work?

Thanks again.

 

I recently read about sweet pea seeds, and how water won't dissolve the outter shell. But with those, you can take a finger nail clipper and just tick the outer shell to speed germination.

I'm not sure if these have the same shell structure, but if they do, it's worth a try? Can't wait for some REAL advice, since I'm going to be getting some passion vine seeds soon!

 

Soak for at least 24 hours in distilled water, discard anything that's floating after that time, then plant in sterile rooting media (50-50 soil to coir is good) and keep the heat around them at 70F until they sprout. I like those little 1-serving yogurt containers for this, because I can pop the lid on and poof! instant greenhouses. When I was North of 60 I used to put them on top of my fridge at the back; here I just set them on the windowsill in the sunshine.

This method gets sprouts in 7-14 days for me.

 

I am growing a passion flower vine from seed too, this season. This particular vine is three months old. I was a little anxious to grow one, so I started it really early.

I did not however soak my seeds at all! I just put them in soil, burying them 1/4" deep, placing the little pot on my heat mat. I kept misting the soil everyday, and in two weeks the prickly little balls sprouted, almost uniformly to boot! Maybe it depends on the variety.

My aunt too, says that she heard you have to keep the vine inside for one year, and then put it out - so this is what she is doing! I am putting mine out, but was going to either mulch it, or pot it up and bring it in for Winter. I also heard that after a vine gets established here, it can make it through the harsh Winter's and will still come back the following year.

How can this vine be made into a perennial, in our climate? Does it produce fruit the 1st year? Some say yes, some say no...

Just thought I'd share my recent experience with germinating the passion flower seeds. My vine is getting ready to go outside soon. It was kind of dark when I took these shots, after showering my plant...

 

I did not know about keeping the vine inside for a year. I was just going to plant the seeds in a pot outdoors, and bring the plants (assuming the seeds germinate) indoors in the fall.

I used to have a Passiflora vine that would bloom all year long (outside in the summer and indoors all winter). I also have one planted in the ground outside that I leave there through the winter. However, this one suffers greatly. It completely dies back every winter and struggles to return in the spring. This last winter was an especially harsh one and I think it took care of the vine once and for all. But even when it did come back, it hardly ever bloomed. It mainly provided dark, dark green foliage, which was also nice, in its own way.

 

Yes, the foliage is awesome, that's for sure - very ornamental. Sounds so lovely about the indoor/outdoor vine you had.

I am going to research a bit more to find out if my vine will produce fruits the first year. I love this vine so much, and want all the varieties I can get my hands on. I am also going to collect seeds from my plants too, so I can share my varieties with others as well.

: )

 

NewGuy is it possible that the plant was receiving too much nitrogen (be it via nitrogen rich soil or fertilizer?)
I know wisterias will only produce foliage and not many flowers (if any) if they are given too much nitrogen...just wondering, as I have recently acquired a charming little seedling (well, bigger than a seedling, but it was grown from seed) and want to know what to do and what to watch out for.

 

Excellent point Laticauda!

: )

 

The Hollyberry Lady, what species is your vine? its not the purple fruit specie, leaves are pretty different. But the common fruit you can buy will flower/set fruit very quick, less than a year. Nutrients dont seem to make a difference in fruit timing, jsut fruit size and quantity. they will flower and fruit in poor earth with little help as well, just not get as much :) if possible get them full sun, good water and loots of leg room, they will EXPLODE.

 

Not sure which variety, but I got the seeds from someone from this forum. I think it is the one with the cool purple and blue flowers though, if that tells you anything. I am absolutely in love with the leaves! It is so special.

Something else quite amazing...

I recently sent Laticauda a passion flower seedling vine, that I germinated myself. Laticauda is in the States and I am in Canada. Not only was the vine received, but Laudicauda will tell you, it is now even perking up, and adjusting from the long trip!

How cool is that?

: )

 

I know I should look all of this stuff up, but I like conversing with people that have actually grown the vine and know from experience.

How hard are these to make flower? What is the flower/fruit process? Do they need to be pollinated to make fruit? If they do, do you need two plants, or can one flower pollinate another flower from the same plant?

 

I am no expert, and have never grown this vine before, but I was told that the same vine could get pollinated and produce fruits, and that two separate vines are not necessary. Makes perfect sense too, because I've grown other vine type fruits like canteloupe melons, and they produced fruits from just one vine as well. The blossoms will need to get pollinated though to produce fruit, I'm sure, just like melons.

I transplanted my PF vine outside today, and weaved it onto a long fence, where it can sprawl. I am so excited about this vine, I am like a big kid! So looking forward to seeing it take off outside.

Still interested in the facts, from people who have actually grown the vine, and know better than I. Also would like to know if fruits do in fact appear in the first season...

: )

 

the flower/fruit process is pretty quick, couple months. but i am not sure if it will happen in Ontario....i suspect winter would kill the plants. but never tried in such cold climate so dont know for sure.

 

Thanks Kada! I am going to bring my plant inside over winter to protect it. Not a chance of mine dying.

Good to know that they will start producing right away. So really then, they are not unlike most fruiting vines? I thought as much. I appreciate your input.

: )

P.S. Wow, noticed you're in Taiwan! Cool.

 

in the right conditions they can. i have some growing in a shaded spot that are on year 3 without a single flower. they like sunshine, warmth and water :)

 

Oh don't worry, I will give my vines tons of all three - warmth, sunshine, and water. I have also been fertilizing my PF with something very low in Nitrogen as well, since it was born. The spot I transplanted my vine to outside, has nothing but full-sun all day long!

Also too, I was reading one of my plant books this morning, and it says that passiflora is a genus of half hardy to frost tender evergreen or semi-evergreen climbers valued for their striking and unusual flowers and on some species, their fleshy edible fruits in Autumn. It also says to water well during prolonged dry periods.

I believe the type I have is Caerulea.

: )

 

there are native north american species, which name i totally forget. they can take some cold, but i have not managed them outdoors sheltered in Victoria BC, which is warmer than Ontario in the winter. so i wouldn't think they will last past october, but i'm not sure. i grew incarnata in canada.

ontarios hot humid summers are ideal for passion fruit though, should grow quite well. you got it in ground? if so there is no stopping it...except winter.

 

Yes, it's in the ground! I am so excited. I figured it would like our heat, so that's just great. This is the first time I've ever grown one before, so it's very thrilling to me. What an awesome vine.

I started my vine from seed, nearly three months ago indoors - but I just put it outside a couple of days ago. It's already 7 feet long! Sure hope I see flowers on it soon...

: )

 

Interesting idea, but I don’t think that is the case. In terms of soil, the spot it’s in has little and of somewhat poor quality. As for fertilizer, it probably got a few sprinkles in the spring. I’m sure the one that was in the pot and bloomed forever got way more fertilizer (nitrogen-rich and otherwise) than the in-ground vine. So, if anything, it might need more fertilizer.

I think the outdoor vine’s trouble is dealing with the winter. That, and possibly the species is just one that needs an older vine to bloom. Every winter, the main vine dies back, and it’s usually younger offshoots that show up in the spring. They’re probably too young to bloom in one season.

Actually, I think it’s doing better in terms of flowering while in-ground, than it was when I had it in a pot. I don’t think it ever produced a single flower in all the years I had it in a pot and treated it the same as the other blooming vine. Must be the species.

P.S. I checked the other day and I noticed that it did come back again. It just took longer for the shoots to appear than usual.

Neither of mine ever produced a fruit. I even tried to hand-pollinate the frequent bloomer, but it never set any fruit. That’s why I’m getting seeds from well-known fruiting varieties this time.

 

It is recommended that you feed your passion flower vine with a 20-20-20 formula. Nitrogen is important yes, but so are phosphorous and potassium as well - especially in blooming plants. Dark, rich green leaves, with no flowers on a plant that is supposed to bloom, is a sure fire sign of too much nitrogen. I agree with Laticauda. Try adding a fertilizer that has equal amounts of all three.

I am told that the plants will produce flowers in the first season, and fruits too. Like anything though, it depends on how it is cared for.

: )

 

Like I said in my previous post, the plant only gets a light sprinkling of a nitrogen-rich fertilizer in the spring. That can hardly attribute its dark green foliage several months later. The plant simply has darker leaves than what you think it should. That’s just the way it is. They look somewhat like the ones in the links below (although the flowers are different):

http://www.dallasartsrevue.com/shows/DARts-shows/Fierce08/visits/es-passion-flower_J228462.jpg
http://www.mountainmeadowseeds.com/seeds/bluepf-2.jpg

 

Yes, I did notice that the leaves on my passion flower are very dark green, which makes it quite attractive and luxurious looking. It does seem to be normal for this particular vine to have rich, dark green foliage. I do believe it would be worth it however, if your vine is not producing, to apply a fertilizer very low in nitrogen, and high in phosphorus and potassium, which will definitely encourage blooms.

I appreciate all the information in this thread, and hope we can all continue to chat well into the summer, as our vines grow, bloom, and produce.

I am dreaming of a cool Autumn day, when I may be so lucky as to be enjoying one of the fruits, while sitting on the front step! We'll see...

: )

 

Hi Everyone,

I can only say that I had a Passiflora in soil that did beautiful last summer(I saw 3 flowers) and unfortunately we had a crazy winter that killed a lot of plants/trees/vines etc and it didn't survive. Thanx for the info and I must say that when it did flower it was truly an amazing looking, straight from Mars, ultra-unquique plant :) Every Bloom was worth it and I will look to find more if it will actually produce fruit.

 

Did your vine come back for you again this year? Did you leave it outside all Winter? Which variety do you have?

Feel free to take a shot of the blooms later, and post it in this thread. I am going to post mine too.

: )

 

+ Hi Hollyberry and all others,
Unfortunately my passiflora didn't survive the Winter is confirmed... DEAD :( Holly I spent my childhood northeast of London, semi-close to Parry Sound, village of Dunchurch, Wah Wash Kesh Lake, huge family history and business (hunting/fishing lodge there). I'm currently living in a coastal climate but experienced some serious weather this previous winter. I will post pics. My passiflora was planted in a styrofoam fish tote from my workplace, about 18 inches in depth with a good rich soil mixture: multi-purpose soil, potting soil, highgrade multi-purpose compost(mushroom,fish,steer, and i think some kind of seaweed, probably kelp). I planted it along the edge of a covered backyard patio setting, between a building(our backyard shed) and the two posts of the adjoining covered patio, approximately 8 feet. It acheived full to partial sun in the mornings and a gigantic fir tree provided late evening shade with some filtered light. Lynn strung twine and floss between the two posts at equal increments of approximately 8 inch itervals and as the vine grew threaded the tendrils through. Our baby was watered as per usual, grew quite well to a height of about 6 feet up the string... with the 3 flowers(regretting taking a picture.) I took this vine for granted and actually purchased one after seeing it illustrated on a local artists greeting card for Lynn. I thought it would be a cool tweak to the card. I am on the hunt now and it was sold as a clematus general plant at a grocery store for 10.99 with my save-on more card. At any rate I am going to go look for a new specimen tomorrow and can't wait to see everyone's results. Will :)