Product Review

PASSION FLOWER: Passion flowers are exotic looking topical plants that can actually be grown in much milder areas. There are many different passion flower plants. Some passion flowers are vines, some produce edible fruits. The genus Passiflora contains over 400 species. The name 'Passion' Flower comes from Spanish Christian missionaries who adopted the unique physical structures of this plant, particularly the numbers of its various flower parts, as symbols of the last days of Jesus and especially his crucifixion. A yellow, oval shaped passion fruit with bright yellow skin and orange pulp. Pulp is edible and very tasty. Often used in juice making. Uses: Eaten fresh or as flavoring for drinks. Commonly used in parts of South America to flavor ice creams, drinks, and cocktails. Plant Cultivation: Generally subtropical to tropical. Extremely fast growing vine in where temperatures stay above 28F. Vines usually produce by the second year and can yield up to 300 fruits a vine when in full production. Beautiful red-pink flowers are borne at the ends of a long stalk. Flowers may attract hummingbirds. Fruits can ripen year round. Propagation: Almost always grown from seeds, but can be propagated by cuttings. Bottom heating the seeds at 70-80F can result in germination at 1-2 weeks, at lower temperatures seeds can take up to 10 weeks to germinate. Origin and Distribution: Found wild throughout Andean valleys in Peru, Argentina, Venezuela and Columbia. Grown commercially in South America, India, and New Zealand. In cooler regions the Banana Passion Fruit makes an excellent Patio Plant, outside during the summer and indoors in the winter!