Passiflora belongs to the Passionflower family and has more than 500 species, one of which is Passiflora edible - a long evergreen vine with very beautiful original flowers, nicknamed "cavalier star" in Russia due to the outward similarity with the order.
Flower discovery story
The homeland of most species of passionflower is tropical and little-explored forests of South America, and some flower species are also found in Asia and Madagascar. Europe became acquainted with this plant only after the conquest of the New World.
Passiflora flower has a complex and original structure - at the top of the petals is a βcrownβ, consisting of long scales, behind which there are large stamens. Even higher is the pestle and 3 stigmas (see photo of edible passiflora). Because of this appearance, the missionaries who came to America and the Catholic Church considered the flower to be the crown of thorns of Christ and forbade its study. The first description of passionflower was made only in the twentieth century.
Biological description
This perennial plant can grow up to 3-4 m in length, it gives very long shoots that cling to the supports with the help of antennae. Leaves are large, consisting of 3-5 shares. The passiflora fruit is a juicy multi-seeded berry; in total, passiflora has up to 60 edible species, many of them are even grown as fruit plants.
The most famous and popular edible varieties of passionflower:
- Passion Fruit.
- Granadilla
- Maestro.
- Galaxy et al.
Plant maintenance and care
Edible passionflower (or passion fruit) refers to fast-growing vines, which can be planted both in the open ground and in the home. The main condition for successful growth is sufficient lighting, so it is impossible to grow it in the shade or under the thick crown of a tree.
Optimum temperature for growth: + 18 ... + 24 Λ, at higher leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out, the number of buds decreases, plant death is possible. In winter, during the dormant period, it is kept at + 12 ... + 18 Λ.
The soil for passiflora is light, well-permeable to air, for which sand or peat is added to it.
The flower requires frequent watering during the period of growth and flowering (from spring to late autumn), the soil should always be slightly moist, in the summertime watered every other day.
During dormancy in winter, watering is done once a week or even less. Passiflora is demanding on air humidity, in the summer it should be often sprayed, while it is impossible for the sun's rays to burn leaves through drops.
Plant nutrition is done twice a month, using complex mineral mixtures. You can use liquid fertilizer for flowers, but diluted in half.
Passiflora does not tolerate drafts, but loves frequent airing. When planting, one should take into account the presence of backwater, along which the vine will grow up. The plant often needs to be pruned, especially shoots after flowering, which are cut completely. In spring, pruning is done at 1/3 of the length, since the flowers will be placed only on fresh shoots.
Passiflora propagation by cuttings
Edible passiflora can be propagated in several ways, the easiest of which is using cuttings. Apical cuttings with buds are cut in summer to a length of 10 cm, and then rooted in soil in a warm room (+ 20 ... + 25 Β° C). To prepare the soil mixture during planting, take 3 parts of leaf soil, 2 - humus, 2 - turf, 1 - sand.
Immediately before planting, they are treated with root, then the pot with cuttings is covered with a film, the cuttings take root within 1 month. You can put the cuttings in water by adding a piece of charcoal for 1.5-2 months. roots should appear, but water cannot be changed.
During the growing season, you can also do propagation with a mustache.
Passionflower seed propagation
Propagation by seed is a longer process than by grafting. In addition, very often seeds do not germinate well due to long storage (sometimes several months). With this method, certain rules should be observed:
- cultivation of passiflora edible from seeds begins in February;
- disinfect the soil before planting: fry in the oven for 10 minutes. at 200 Β° C;
- seeds are sown in the soil to a depth of 1 cm. Then the container is covered with film or glass, the temperature should be + 22 ... + 24 Β° C in the room. When the first leaves appear, make a pick in separate pots with a diameter of more than 7 cm;
- edible passiflora seeds have a hard shell, so to soften it, make a scarification - lightly rub them with sandpaper on both sides;
- then the seeds are kept for 24 hours in milk or in a solution of citrus juice (lemon or orange);
- only then they are planted in a container or peat cups;
- every day the container needs to be aired, for which the film is removed for 5 minutes;
- the soil is moistened as it dries by spraying;
- as soon as the sprouts appear, the film is removed, and the container must be rearranged in place with good lighting.
Planting and flowering passionflower
This plant is perennial; it is transplanted once a year in spring. When planting a small plant in the first year, it should be covered for 2 weeks with a glass jar. In the first year of passionflower, the basis of the future creeper is formed, building up the main shoots, usually up to 1.5 m long. At the same time, she definitely needs support to gain a foothold.
In autumn, when the cooling begins below +15 Λ, the plant must be moved to a room where it is possible to maintain the temperature + 13 ... + 16 Λ. If the room is hot, then the liana begins to go bald and lose leaves.
For the second year in the spring, you should trim the last year's long shoots to a third of the length, given that the flowers will form on fresh shoots. Passiflora blooms almost the entire summer season from June to October, but each flower lives only 1 day.
It is difficult to grow fruits in room conditions. To get them, you must have at least 2 plants of the same species, because they are cross-pollinated. Due to the mismatch in flowering on these plants, pollination may not occur. Fruits in various plant species usually ripen within 2-3.5 months.
Consider the different varieties of edible passionflower.
Types of passionflower
Edible passion fruit or Granadilla (Passiflora edulis) - the most common species, its homeland is Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina. In culture, grows up to 5-8 m, has matte three-lobed leaves. There are two of its varieties: with yellow fruits and purple. The flowers are very large (6-8 cm) light purple, and the fruits are round in shape up to 6 cm in size. From them drinks and sweets are prepared, added to tea.
Passiflora banana or tender (Passiflora mollissima) - grows in nature in Bolivia, Venezuela and Colombia. Pink flowers up to 12 cm in size, the fruits emit a pleasant aroma. Of all species, banana passionflower is the most cold-resistant, bears fruit in the first year.
Edible Passiflora Galaxy is a perennial climbing plant, creepers grow up to 4.5 m long, flowers up to 12 cm in size are white and pink. The fruits are brown-red, have a pleasant aroma.
The largest fruit in size and stem length - Passiflora tetrahedral (Passiflora quadrangularis) - grows up to 15 m in length, flowers are also large, diameters up to 15 cm, fruits are large oval in shape up to 30 cm, have a thick peel, and inside - a sweet juicy flesh . In the middle zone, such a plant can be grown only in greenhouse conditions.
Edible Passiflora Maestro is one of the varieties popular and widespread in Russia, which is successfully used by gardeners for indoor and outdoor cultivation.
Passionflower apple-shaped (Passiflora maliformis) or Chulupa is a vine with a tree-shaped stalk up to 10 m long. Its fruits are up to 5 cm in size, contain sweet aromatic flesh of gray or pale orange color with black seeds. Pulp is used in the manufacture of beverages. Plantings of this species are grown in Brazil and Ecuador to produce edible fruits.
Diseases and pests of passionflower
Edible passiflora can suffer from the attack of spider mites, aphids, mealybugs and whiteflies. You can protect the plant with the help of "Fitoverma" or "Actara" to destroy the worms, using preparations containing cypermethrin ("Arrivo", "Inta-vir").
Infectious diseases that can threaten the plant are root rot, late blight, ring and brown spotting, scab, fusarium, and very rarely the yellow mosaic virus. It is very rare to cure a diseased plant, so it is destroyed along with the pot.
The healing properties of passiflora
Some types of passion flowers are of great medicinal value. Even the ancient Incas used passiflora as a soothing tea. The main healing effect of passiflora is sedative, which improves the quality and duration of sleep without any negative consequences. The plant is used to treat diseases of the nervous system, helps with insomnia, depression, epilepsy, etc.
Also, drugs prepared from this plant have an antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant and analgesic effect, help improve memory, increase efficiency and potency. Another unique effect of passionflower - compensation for the effects of amphetamine - is used with great success to cure drug addiction and alcoholism.
The most valuable species from the point of view of medicine - Passiflora incarnata or apricot, grows in a very long vine up to 10 m. The flowers are bright purple, and the fruits have a lemon tint the size of a plum, tastes sweet and sour. From the ground parts it is made medicine "Passiflora extract", which has a calming effect, is prescribed for diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. The fruits have a very interesting smell, similar to the aroma of lilac.
Using passion fruit for food
In our country, the fruits of edible passionflower (passion fruit and other species) can be found only in addition to yogurt, ice cream or juice. Very rarely, a piece of fruit can be found in mixtures of tropical teas.
The pulp of this fruit is very tasty and sweet, at home it is consumed both raw, mixed with sugar and water, and for making jams, jellies and sorbets. Often pieces of this fruit are added to cottage cheese desserts and cakes.
Sweet juice and jam can be used in the preparation of meat and fish dishes, the fruit tastes best to taste with nuts, apples, cinnamon and pear.
However, caution should be exercised, since in certain varieties (for example, Azure Passiflora), a small percentage of cyanide is contained, in some others - weaker toxic substances harmful to human health.