Family: Passifloraceae
Common name: Perfumed passionflower, Grape-leaved passionflower, Grape-leaved passionfruit, Krishna Kamal
Perfumed passionflower is a captivating vine celebrated for its intricately beautiful flowers, very commonly seen in gardens. Though they belong to Central and South America, they can be grown in most tropical countries all over the world.
Plant Characteristics
This plant grows quite vigorously to a height of 10 to 20 meters climbing on trellises, supporting structures, or surrounding vegetation. The stem is slender and cylindrical covered with reddish-brown hairs when they are young.
The leaves are dark green and deeply lobed, like those of grape plants, giving the plant its name ‘Vitifolia’ which comes from the Latin ‘vitis’ for grapes. They are 8-15 cm long with a thick, leathery texture.
The flowers of Perfumed passionflower are beautiful, deep red, and quite large compared to other passionflower species. These fragrant flowers appear in summer and last for a few months depending on the weather conditions.
Flowers have 5 long distinct petals arranged in the shape of a star, with white and red corona in the center. The style is very stylized with red and white stigmata arising from a small bulbous ovary.
As with all passionflowers, the Perfumed passionflower is also a structural marvel. With its bright color and fragrance, the flower can attract bees, butterflies, and small insects into your garden.
Once they are pollinated, the Perfumed passionflower plants produce small egg-like fruits that are deep green with creamy white markings. The fruits are 5-7 cm long with a smooth, waxy outer covering.
When they ripen, the fruits turn yellow and then orange in color. The taste is quite tart even when they mature, and is hence not consumed commonly.
These fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The variant Passiflora vitifolia ‘scarlet flame’ had deep red petals and a reasonably tasty fruit.
Gardening tips
Perfumed passionflowers are easy to grow since they can climb very quickly on supporting structures covering the structure with deep green leaves, and beautiful flowers. They prefer full sun and tall structures for climbing.
Watering and fertilization are required during dry, summer months so that the plant will stay lush green, and bloom well.
Though the plant can climb well, it’s a good idea to tie the stems lightly to the structure so that they grow the way you want them to.
Uses of Perfumed Passionflower
The fruit is made into a juice, though it can be quite tart. They are also eaten raw.
Parts of the plant are used in traditional herbal medicine to calm the nerves, and in the treatment of fever and inflammations.
Passiflora vitifolia is a host plant for several species of butterflies which lay their eggs on the vine and feed on its leaves as caterpillars.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds, stem cuttings, and layering.
Ripe seeds can be collected, dried, and then sowed in small trays. They can germinate in 10-15 days when the soil is kept moist and well-drained.
Stem cuttings should be 15-20 cm with good leaf nodes that need to be planted below the soil for root growth.
Layering involves bending a stem closer to the ground and making an incision where it touches the soil. This incision should then be covered with soil and kept below ground. Once the stem roots at the incision, it can be cut and replanted.
Photographed at: Coorg, Karnataka; Nandi hills areas, Bangalore
