Passiflora racemosa (Red Passion Flower)

A long time favorite plant for growing in conservatories in temperate climates, award-winner Passiflora racemosa is a vigorous evergreen climber with hanging clusters of bright red flowers, 5 in. wide (12 cm), adorned with a ring of dark purple and white coronal filaments. About 1 foot long (30 cm), the clusters can count up to 30 blooms on them. The showy blossoms are followed by egg-size pale green fruits. The foliage consists of three lobed, ovate, glossy leaves which create a perfect backdrop for the flowers. Native to Brazil, Red Passion Flower is cultivable in the tropical and subtropical climates and marginally in the warm temperate ones, where temperatures around 32°F (0°C) are short-lasting exceptions.

This passion flower belongs to the Passifloraceae family, famed not just for its edible fruit but also for its intricate passion flower. Among these botanical floral beauties are Passiflora alata, P. incarnata, P. lutea, P. edulis, and the ravishing P. caerulea.

• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its noteworthy qualities.
• Blooms throughout the summer and fall.
• Thrives in full sun or part shade, in fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Water freely when in growth and keep just moist in winter. Provide support for climbing stems and shelter from cold, drying winds. Some drought tolerance once established.
• Easy to grow, this Passion 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 a bit will be the ones 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 won’t damage brickwork or fences!
• Butterflies are extraordinarily fond of Passion Flowers.
• Propagate by seed sown at 13 to 18 °C in spring or root semi-hardwood cuttings in summer. Layering can be carried out in spring or fall
• This vine blooms on new growth and should be pruned in late winter or early spring. No regular pruning needed. However trimming may be required to keep it to the space available, removing as much from the longer shoots as necessary.
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