# Naturalizing Passion Flower **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 17, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069 "2007-07-17T01:20:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/1 "2007-07-17T01:20:45Z")
How do I tell when the fruit is ripe? They grow on the road side and I want to plant some on the property before the county mows over them. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/2 "2007-07-17T01:30:34Z")
Googling “passion flower” yields [this.](http://altnature.com/gallery/passionflower.htm) > [@](#): > > The passion fruit, when ripe is yellow-green and the size of a small hen’s egg. > [@](#): > > Cultivation: Passionflower is easily cultivated through root division or by seed, transplants from the wild do well, it requires a well-drained soil, sandy slightly acid soil in full sun. A trellis should be provided, since it is a tendril climbing vine. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/3 "2007-07-17T01:42:11Z")
If it’s a maypop, which it probably is if you’re anywhere other than southern Florida or Hawaii, the fruit turns more orange than yellow when it’s ripe. [This site](http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1189/) says that the fruit has to be significantly overripe before the seeds are mature enough to store or sow. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/4 "2007-07-17T01:48:15Z")
One of my favorite plants, Passiflora incarnata, the northernmost species, and hard to find in nurseries or seed precisely because when it’s ripe, every critter around wants it’s tasty fruit. The fruit is generally ripe around late summer, and best harvested when a bit yellow and starting to pucker up a bit. Like I said, that’s when wildlife is jumping on it to eat it, too. Germination of seed can be spotty, especially if you buy dried seed. Best success is by mimicking nature; the seed is meant to be passed through the digestive tract of animals and deposited with it’s fresh fertilizer packet of poop. You can mimic that by pretreating the seed in a weak acidic solution (apple cider vinegar or a weak ethanol solution) and then direct sowing it in fall to overwinter and sprout. [some more info on it](http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Passiflora+incarnata). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/5 "2007-07-17T01:59:06Z")
I believe it is Passiflora incarnata. A column in the local paper indicates one can toss the fruit on the ground; the link indicates the seed must be scarified. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/6 "2007-07-17T02:14:25Z")
Once you have it in your garden, you usually will have a plenty, as it seeds in. Perhaps that what the writer of your newspaper column meant. I grow this plant as a nursery crop, and we dont scarify it. Scarifying usually means a hard seed coat, so, if you purchase dried seed, it might help. If you harvest fresh seed, though, best to not let it dry out, and use the method I posted above to process and sow it. If you don’t want to fall sow it, you could ferment it as said, and then tuck it away into a ziplock bag filled with perlite, vermiculite, or other well-drained medium, put it in the fridge for the winter, Labelled, and sow it in spring . You’ll see when you harvest the seed that it is encased in a juicy little sac. It’s very tasty then, like little candy bits. I’d suppose too, that if you just want to suck out all the tasty juice, run it all around yer mouth, and spit out the seeds, that would be enough fermentation. You don’t want to dry the seeds with the sac , though, because it would get , in best terms, Ganky. You’ll see exactly what I mean when you harvest the fruit. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/7 "2007-07-17T02:24:15Z")
[QUOTE=elelle] You’ll see when you harvest the seed that it is encased in a juicy little sac. It’s very tasty then, like little candy bits. [/QUOTE] The two I picked tonight were not ripe, white seeds resembling cucumber. I’ve been mowing near the road, something I usually don’t do to keep the above mentioned county mowers away. I’ll try both eat and plant as well as the apple cider vinegar method. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/8 "2007-07-17T02:55:02Z")
I really adore this plant so much that I’ll add: the unripe fruits are not tasty at all, but they _Look_ like something to be had, all puffed up, but just taste rather acrid then. When the fruit is a bit yellow, the seeds, with their coat, are sweet and yummy. I’ll add, too, that Passiflora is a great medicinal herb: the links given here articulate its wonderful use. Read up on that. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/9 "2007-07-17T03:34:09Z")
[QUOTE=elelle] I really adore this plant so much that I’ll add: the unripe fruits are not tasty at all, but they _Look_ like something to be had, all puffed up, but just taste rather acrid then. When the fruit is a bit yellow, the seeds, with their coat, are sweet and yummy. I’ll add, too, that Passiflora is a great medicinal herb: the links given here articulate its wonderful use. Read up on that. [/QUOTE] I have a vine that is flowering now, I am going to try to dry some of the flowers and leaves to see if it will help with my insomnia. Even if it doesn’t, I love it for it’s beauty! ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/10 "2007-07-17T04:06:45Z")
Are the yellow where you are? Where I grew up they tended to aubergine purple (not yellow) when ripe, greenish when unripe. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/11 "2007-07-17T17:14:13Z")
I read that they actually do much better from cuttings than from seeds–at least they bloom sooner. I’ve taken cuttings from the maypop growing over my fence and hope they root. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/12 "2007-07-17T17:28:06Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] I read that they actually do much better from cuttings than from seeds–at least they bloom sooner. I’ve taken cuttings from the maypop growing over my fence and hope they root. [/quote] Cool. How did you do it? > [@](#): > > Cuttings should be taken in the early spring. Remove the lower leaves from a 15 to 20 cm cutting before placing it in the rooting medium. Removing the suckers that develop around the established plants provides materials for propagating by division. With a shovel, separate and remove the suckers and roots. Transplant the divisions and water them immediately. [From an MS Word Doc.](http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/doc/cs_pain6.doc) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/13 "2007-07-17T23:36:22Z")
They mowed today, like a moronic thirteen year old with a riding mower turned loose in _Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’_ damn their eyes. They missed two near the fence, left the remains of one with a seed pod strewn across the driveway, and a stem left with some identifiable leaves. I plan to dig it up. Am I looking for a rool ball or a corm, and how large? dammit. ---
**Author:** ![Beaucarnea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@Beaucarnea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beaucarnea)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/14 "2007-07-18T00:33:15Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] They mowed today, like a moronic thirteen year old with a riding mower turned loose in _Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’_ damn their eyes. They missed two near the fence, left the remains of one with a seed pod strewn across the driveway, and a stem left with some identifiable leaves. I plan to dig it up. Am I looking for a rool ball or a corm, and how large? dammit. [/QUOTE] I think **elelle** is at a conference- but I can answer (my favorite wildflower). Long, deep, white, \*extremely brittle \* taproot. ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/15 "2007-07-18T14:53:14Z")
Just how south of the Mason Dixon Line are you? In Silver Spring, MD they never ripen. I collect them after frost and put them in a paper bag until they turn soft. They are sort of ripe then, and can be eaten then. But left on the vine outside they won’t ripen here. They will always have that cucumbery nastyness ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/16 "2007-07-18T15:38:26Z")
[QUOTE=Bewildebeest] Just how south of the Mason Dixon Line are you? [/QUOTE] Central Arkansas. ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/17 "2007-07-25T02:36:25Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] They mowed today, like a moronic thirteen year old with a riding mower turned loose in _Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’_ damn their eyes. They missed two near the fence, left the remains of one with a seed pod strewn across the driveway, and a stem left with some identifiable leaves. I plan to dig it up. Am I looking for a rool ball or a corm, and how large? dammit. [/QUOTE] Oh, Honey, I’m sorry about that! As good friend Beau said, I’ve been out at a Native Plant conference, chock full of folks who would be horrified at your tale. Nice Plant Geek Central. I think you can dig it up with a good foot of rootball, and cut it back hard. Don’t have any sentimentality about it blooming, just cut it back to six inches. It’s more stress to dig it up while trying to bloom, and, since it’s stressfull heatwise too, pot it up where you can water it, and water every other day, and then transplant in cooler time. Bastard Mowers. :mad: To give you a sweet little attention diverting biscuit: Sarracenia jonesii x okeefeenokeensis cross is a great Go, and vigorous & beautiful! Soon come to send out into the world. Ain’t that a good thing? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2007, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/18 "2007-07-25T12:33:29Z")
[QUOTE=elelle] O Sarracenia jonesii x okeefeenokeensis cross is a great Go [/QUOTE] Cool. Sarracenia does well for me virtually ignored in buried, undrained tubs if sand and peat. One of the mowed pieces had a tiny bit of root and I am trying to root the pieces that had been lying in the road all day. The one I dug up broke the root at 4", it is still alive potted in peat. They missed two near the fence. I would like to protect the fruit and save seeds. Perhaps I can put it in a have a heart trap or wrap it up in chicken wire. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/19 "2007-07-26T01:51:01Z")
I have growth at leaf nodes on three of the cuttings made from mowed remains, and growth on the one I dug up. That’s about a 30% survival rate; I made 15" cuttings from all the identifiable remains. I just noticed that was supposed to be 15 cm cuttings. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beaucarnea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@Beaucarnea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beaucarnea)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069/20 "2007-07-26T02:18:20Z")
**carnivorous** , [these passion flowers](http://www.flickr.com/photos/beaucarnea/) were all over the grass on either side of the runway at a poorly groomed airport in Tennessee last week-end- would you like some seeds when they mature, or do they appear to be the same variety as yours? The passionflower in Virginia on my parents’ property is smaller, paler, and closer to blue than purple. I am certain that I can collect seeds from either or both this Fall. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naturalizing-passion-flower/412069.md?page=2)