Passion Flower vine -- do you deadhead the flowers?

[Rev "Fragile Warrior" Volfie]

I finally broke down and bought myself a bright red Passion Flower vine even though I know nothing about them. I was deadheading the spent flowers today when it occured to me that perhaps I should ask if that was the right thing to do. I realized that sometimes new flowers grow where old flowers were so I stopped after three.

Also, it's outside for the summer but I don't have any southern exposure windows for winter light. Can I successfully use artifical light to suppliment the ample west light I get?

Any advice will be appreciated.

[Ben]

I deadhead. I leave a cutting in a southfacing basement window all winter. It doesn't grow very much but it survives OK. Ben Kingston Ontario

[Rev "Fragile Warrior" Volfie]

I finally found a good reference to the Passion Flower in a herb book last night (I had no idea that's where I should look for it -- duh!) and it said it actually grows a fruit. Have you ever tried it? The book said it was rather tasty.

Also, have you ever tried wintering the vine outside? The book said it has to be mulched well to survive but, wow, it doesn't seem to me that such a delicate flowering vine could survive to -20F. You're closer to where I used to live (Niagara Falls) and I would think it *might* survive there but here, on a hill in the middle of Indiana, I have my doubts.

Giselle (boy, do I miss Lakes Ontario and Erie to keep me temperate!)

[MICHAEL LYONS]

I've got some bad news for you. Red passionflower sets no fruit. The blue does, but not the red. As to growing outside and deadheading, Mine grows on the back fence in central Florida, and dcadheading would be close to a full-time job. I prune it to keep it from growing 30 feet up the neighbor's tree.

[Rev "Fragile Warrior" Volfie]

Oh, no kidding! Why is that? Do you know? I don't mind, though, I just fell in love with the red one. It was the first one I ever saw.

Oh, cool. I was hoping that if I made it an inside plant this winter that it would fill up my sunroom and climb up the walls but, like I said, I only get strong west and some north light and I'm sure that's not enough for massive growth.

Giselle

[paghat]

The red passion flower is a "patio tropical" that will not set fruit & should be kept very warm to thrive. They don't need deadheading at least & can be practically everblooming.

The yellow egg-sized fruits of Purple Passion Vine (the one most commonly grown outdoors in gardens) are mostly hollow but do have a big hump of blood-red pulp &amp seeds inside. "Pop" the balloon open & you'll know why they're called Maypops, then suck out the pulp, don't chew because the seeds don't add anything positive to the flavor, but give the pulp a good tongue-mushing. I find it extremely tasty & when the vines are full of maypops I eat them daily while in the garden. But my sweety finds them seedy & uninteresting. I have also occasionally used the yellow skins like green tomatoes & fried them in olive oil with onions & sweet bell peppers for a home-made relish.

Although the subtropical Purple Passionflower thrives outside even in temperate Zone 8, our winters only rarely & briefly get down to 20 degrees F. & the vine can stand it. but even this hardy species would die at temperatures your zone experiences. Your red one is fully tropical would die outside even in my comparatively mild zone.

-paghat the ratgirl

[Rev "Fragile Warrior"]

Great! Thanks for all the info! Will my red one be comfortable at around

70 degress in the winter, do you think? I usually don't keep my cabin warmer than that.

Giselle (and now I'm going to have to get a purple one so I can try the maypops ;)

[presley]

[raceinaround]

replying to MICHAEL LYONS, raceinaround wrote: You are wrong. Some varieties do produce passion fruit.

[raceinaround]

replying to Rev "Fragile Warrior" Volfie, raceinaround wrote: He is wrong. Some varieties do produce fruit and that is passion fruit. You can't fix stupid.

[dee]

replying to raceinaround, dee wrote: you are as hateful as it gets.why would you call someone stupid for not having correct information regarding an herb?ay all your tomates rot.