Passiflora vitifolia Kunth Crimson passion flower, grape-leaved passion fruit, perfumed passionflower, vine-leaf passion flower, passion flower
The crimson passion flower is native to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, in South and Central America. It is becoming naturalized in Hawaii, but is not found in the wild elsewhere in North America. Identification: These evergreen vines reach 25' (7.6 m) in length. The vine extends tendrils that encircle supports, then coils them like springs to achieve a more robust grasp. This species’ leaves resemble grape leaves, hence the name vitifolia. Dark green leaves have three lobes, and fuzzy undersides. Beautiful red flowers are 5-6" (12-15 cm) in diameter, with 10 petals. (Okay, technically, there are five petals and five petal-like sepals.) Fruits are egg-shaped, green with yellow or white spots, soft and juicy. Passiflora vitifolia flower, by Density. Edibility: Fully ripened fruits taste similar to sour strawberries, and are tasty when sweetened. Online References:
Passiflora vitifolia on Forest and Kim Starr’s Starr Environmental site Passiflora vitifolia on Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers Passiflora vitifolia on sagebud.com Passiflora vitifolia on Wikimedia Commons Passiflora vitifolia on Desert-tropicals.com Passiflora vitifolia at Gymnosperms.org Passiflora vitifolia on stricollections.org
Passiflora vitifolia description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020. © FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved. |
8/31/2013 · Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia Range: Zones 10-12:
|