Passion Flower

[Doreen]

Hi, I have been given a small passion flower climber with no instuctions at all, can you tell me how to plant it ie: what kind of soil? will it tolerate windy areas? when do I feed? what kind of feed? anything you can tell me will be helpfull as I've never grown one before. many thanks

[gardening_guru]

Hello Doreen,

Thank you for your question about your Passion Flower plant. The most common passion flower in cultivation is the Blue Passion Flower; Passiflora caerulea.

It is fine to plant your Passion flower in average, moderately nutritious garden soil, it should be reasonably drained but also hold on to some moisture. Ideally, plant it against a south or west facing wall. I would avoid an east facing wall because such a site will have early morning sun with the potential for a rapid thaw from a late frost; this could damage the developing flower buds.

Passiflora caerulea flowers all summer and into autumn. It is a slightly tender plant and will cope with frost down to –5C.

I would feed your Passion flower once per fortnight during spring, maybe with a tomato food that will encourage lots of flower development. Rig up some kind of support on the wall, the passion flower will need something to grab on to with it’s wispy modified leaves called tendrils.

Hope I have been of some help,

[Doreen]

Thanks a lot; I live by the sea and get quite a lot of strong salt air so hope it'll be ok.

[Nigel4x4]

Doreen, I was given a small potted passion flower years ago when I lived in Portsmouth (by the sea!) and it did really well over the many years I lived there. It grows really fast when established so be prepared

N.

[Doreen]

Thanks a lot , my plant has done pretty well up to now; wondered whether i should have covered it up over winter but seems ok thanks again.

[Samantha]

I think you don't need to cover it up.