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Passiflora caerulea (Blue Passion Flower)

Blue Passion Flower, Blue Crown, Common Passion Flower, Flower of Five Wounds, Southern Beauty, Wild Apricot

AGM Award
Passiflora Caerulea, Blue Passion Flower, Blue Crown, Common Passion Flower, Flower of Five Wounds, Southern Beauty, Wild Apricot, Blue Vines, Mediterranean Vines, Blue Flowers
Passiflora Caerulea, Blue Passion Flower, Blue Crown, Common Passion Flower, Flower of Five Wounds, Southern Beauty, Wild Apricot, Blue Vines, Mediterranean Vines, Blue Flowers

One of the most glamorous climbers, the award-winning Passiflora caerulea (Blue Passion Flower) is a vigorous, large, semi-evergreen climber with twining tendrils. The exotic beauty of its flowers is captivating: white, sometimes pink-flushed, with a ring of blue, white, and purple filaments. The attractive, 3 in. blooms (8 cm) are followed by egg-size deep orange fruits from late summer through fall. The fruits are edible but not very tasty, with a vague flavor reminiscent of blackberry. The foliage consists of shiny rich green leaves, palmately lobed with 5-7 fingers. Passion Flower ranks as a top choice among tropical flowers for enthusiasts and gardeners.

Native to southern Brazil and Argentina, Passion Flower is evergreen in tropical climates but deciduous where winters are cool. It has survived temperatures as low as 5ºF (-15ºC) when the ground was frozen over two feet deep! While it dies to the ground during the cold season, it will regrow from deep roots after even severe freezes.

  • Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its noteworthy qualities.
  • Blooms during warm weather, sporadically from early summer to early fall
  • Thrives in full sun or part shade in loose sandy or gravelly soils and moist, well-drained soils. Good drainage is essential. Go light on fertilizer and water deeply, but infrequently. Passion Flowers should be encouraged to reach deep into the earth for water. This prompts them to develop a powerful root system to sustain them through droughts and freezes. Do not provide too much manure or compost or this will result in lush vegetative growth and poor flowering. Keep the soil on the dry side in the winter.
  • Easy to grow, this twining vine can quickly grow up to 20-30 ft. long (6-9 m). Don’t try to train your Passion Flower to be too neat and compact. The branches allowed to hang loose, and droop will be most inclined to flower.
  • Excellent choice for trellises, walls, fences, or arbors. Perfect in wall-side borders, city gardens, cottage gardens, Mediterranean gardens, and containers. This trouble-free climber clings with tendrils, so it won’t damage brickwork or fences!
  • Butterflies are extraordinarily fond of Passion Flowers.
  • The terminal buds may be pinched out to encourage branching.
  • Propagate by seed, semi-hardwood cuttings or by layering in spring or fall.
  • This vine blooms on new growth and should be pruned in late winter or early spring. No regular pruning is needed. However, trimming may be required to keep them to the space available, removing as much from the longer shoots as necessary.
  • Ingestion of some parts may cause severe discomfort
  • Passiflora caerulea is the parent of many attractive cultivars:
    Constance Elliott‘- with fragrant white flowers.
    Regnellii‘ – with exceptionally long coronal filaments.
    Grandiflora‘ – with extraordinarily large flowers, 6 in. across (15 cm).
    Chinensis‘ – with pale blue flowers.

Requirements

Hardiness 6 - 9
Heat Zones 6 - 9
Climate Zones 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2
Plant Type Climbers
Plant Family Passifloraceae
Genus Passiflora
Common names Blue Passion Flower, Blue Crown, Passion Flower
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 20' - 30'
(6.1m - 9.1m)
Spread 3' - 6'
(90cm - 180cm)
Maintenance Low, Average
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Semi-Evergreen, Fruit & Berries
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Uses Arbors, Pergolas, Trellises, Patio And Containers, Wall-Side Borders, Walls And Fences
Garden Styles Mediterranean Garden, Informal and Cottage, City and Courtyard
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Passiflora lutea (Yellow Passion Flower)
Passiflora edulis ‘Possum Purple’ (Passion Flower)
Passiflora x violacea ‘Victoria’ (Passion Flower)
Passiflora ‘Anastasia’ (Passion Flower)
Passiflora caerulea ‘Clear Sky’ (Passion Flower)
Passiflora x alato-caerulea (Passion Flower)

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 6 - 9
Heat Zones 6 - 9
Climate Zones 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2
Plant Type Climbers
Plant Family Passifloraceae
Genus Passiflora
Common names Blue Passion Flower, Blue Crown, Passion Flower
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Height 20' - 30'
(6.1m - 9.1m)
Spread 3' - 6'
(90cm - 180cm)
Maintenance Low, Average
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Semi-Evergreen, Fruit & Berries
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Uses Arbors, Pergolas, Trellises, Patio And Containers, Wall-Side Borders, Walls And Fences
Garden Styles Mediterranean Garden, Informal and Cottage, City and Courtyard
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Not sure which Passiflora (Passion Flower) to pick?
Compare Now

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