The exotic passion flower is beautiful to look at it: and from its bright pink, blue, and white center, to its disc of tie-dyed-appearing dark to light purple flowers and green stalk, it looks like it requires an exotic and temperate climate to grow. One can easily picture it in a rainforest or jungle.
But one of the most surprising things about the passion flower is that growing passion flowers can happen just about anywhere, even in mild climates.
Passion Flower Facts
The name Passion Flower encompasses a wide variety of plant types. Passion Flower can refer to annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees. However, the thing they share in common is how fleeting their bloom is. If you are thinking about growing passion flower, it might be good to remember this: the passion flower blooms for one day.
Where To Grow Passion Flowers
The Hardiness Zone Map developed by the USDA breaks up the United States into segments, which gardeners can then use to determine which plants they can expect to thrive where they are being planted. If you are growing passion flowers, you should know that while they may be able to grow in more locations, they can reliably grow in zones 6-10 (which refers to, roughly, much of the southern midwest; the southeast; along with the southwestern United States, California, and the Pacific Northwest.
Best Parts of the Yard for Growing Passion Flowers
Passion flowers need full sun to partial shade, so plant them in a section of your yard or garden that achieves this. Full sun means at least six hours of sunlight per day. However, if you live in a hot, sunny climate (this is particularly true for the southwestern segments where the passion flower can be grown), it may be beneficial to plant your passion flower so that it can get more morning sun than afternoon sun. Morning sun is less intense than afternoon sun, and your passion flower may need some shade by the time afternoon rolls around in an extremely hot climate.
Ideal Soil Conditions for Growing Passion Flowers
Whether you’re growing passion flowers in North Carolina, Ohio, or Arizona, one thing that will help ensure an ideal environment is a heavy layer of mulch. The right amount of mulch will capture and keep moisture (from watering or rainfall), keeping the plants hydrated and the roots cool.
Using a Container for Growing Passion Flowers
There are a few reasons that you may choose to use a container for growing passion flowers instead of a yard or garden. One reason is practical: many gardeners or flower-lovers simply don’t have a yard. However, even if you do have a yard, you might prefer growing passion flowers in a container. This is because passion flowers have the potential to become an invasive species. If you wish to avoid this, a container is a convenient solution. Passion flowers can easily grow in a pot; a pot also offers the convenience of portability and ensures that you can move the pot to achieve the right amount of sunlight. It also allows you to bring your flower indoors during the winter if you live in a zone that becomes cold during the winter.
Types of Passion Flowers
There are many different varieties of passion flowers you may choose to grow.
Passiflora caerulea (Blue Passion Flower): This intensely colored passion flower is native to South America. It’s one of the varieties that produces an edible orange fruit.
Passiflora edulis: There are two types of edible passion fruits: the orange fruit, like the kind produced by the Blue Passion flower, and a small, purple fruit.
Passiflora alata (Ruby Glow): If you prefer more reds and purples in your flowers, then this is the passion flower for you.
What are your best tips and tricks for growing passion flowers?
