Growing Passion Flower Varieties in a Mediterranean Garden

Passion flowers are a delightful addition to any Mediterranean garden as they are easy to grow, propagate and care for. Once established they are drought tolerant too and will produce masses of exotic blooms.

The plant is easily trained over something unsightly in the garden and can be fairly rampant but growing in a container will solve this problem.

There are evergreen or semi evergreen Passion flower varieties and they are native to tropical and sub tropical regions. The exotic and unusual flowers are waxy and can be found in a variety of colours. The Mediterranean climate is ideal for these plants as they are not truly frost hardy. Propagation is easy by harvesting seeds or taking stem cuttings. In cooler regions they are successfully grown as houseplants.

Some Varieties of Passion Flower Found in the Mediterranean Garden

Passiflora caerulea comes from South America and is the most hardy passion flower that most people will recognize. This variety will survive a mild frost. The flower is blue and the fruit is small and bright orange. This is the rampant variety and it will send up shoots a fair distance from the main plant. To keep the plant to a reasonable size it can be container grown. See photo.

Passiflora cinnabarina is an elegant fine stemmed climber that can reach 2-3 meters. The narrow petalled flowers are red and it produces green fruits.

Passiflora victoria is a variety often seen in the garden centres as a pot plant. It has a spectacular pink and mauve flower and can be either garden or container grown. See photo.

Passiflora edulis is a variety that can reach up to 7 meters in its native Brazil and Paraguay. It is grown extensively in frost free regions for its purple fruits that fall to the ground when ripe. The flowers are lavender coloured star shaped.

Passiflora ligularis comes from the central America regions from Mexico to Bolivia and blooms well when planted at about 1000 meters. This variety is cultivated particularly in Africa and Australia for its fruit. It’s certainly worth trying in the Mediterranean garden if only to succeed in getting it to flower and photographing the elusive blooms! The flowers are greenish white with white or pink tinged petals.

The Passiflora manicata from south America is a common variety in the Mediterranean garden although it is not frost hardy. It blooms profusely in the spring and then later in the autumn with bright red flowers and grows to around 7 meters.

Passifora mollissima is native to Venezuela and Bolivia and has large pink blooms and small banana shaped fruit.

Caring for Passion Flowers

Passion flowers are fairly undemanding and although they love full sun they are happier with their roots slightly shaded. The above varieties will all grow well in containers as long as they have good drainage.

When grown in a container they have the advantage of being moved around to grow and give shade over a pergola or garden dining area.

When grown indoors or in a conservatory they should have a largish 10inch pot and a soil based potting mix which should be kept moist but not soggy.

They need less water in winter and will appreciate an occasional misting in the summer. Wherever they are grown Passion flowers will need support for their tendrils. A trellis or wires are ideal.

The plant will benefit from a general purpose fertilizer once a month during the spring and summer.

Propagating Passion Flowers

There are many seed merchants offering different varieties of Passion flower and they usually germinate within a couple of weeks. They should be sown at a high temperature 2cms deep in general compost and kept moist. Stem cuttings can also be taken in either spring or autumn and will be identical to the parent plant. Cuttings can be taken in different ways for example, in water, in gel and in compost – with or without rooting powder.

Pruning Passion Flowers

A Passion flower can be left to grow happily entwining itself around everything in sight, high up through trees, amongst shrubs and over fences and walls.

The growth can be very vigorous and the plant will eventually become thin and leggy so it is a good idea to prune hard in the spring which will promote strong new growth and plenty of blooms.

Passion Flowers are Easy to Grow and Care for

All nurseries and garden centres sell varieties of Passiflora, some fully grown and some smaller pot versions. Buy and plant out in early spring or after the first autumn rains.

The plant will attract bees and butterflies and reward with wonderfully exotic blooms throughout the summer. For readers interested in climbing plants there is a further article of interest.