Hi Mark,
As far as I know the bloom is red and somewhat large. The other thing I know is that in order to get fruit from a passionflower other than the maypop (self fertile) you must have a different species pollen. I have very large blooms on mine & I think (was given cuttings) mine is the passionflower cerulea. I would like to have a rooted cutting and I have a large passion plant to trade you.

great picture of yours is here!
http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/passiflora_parritae_x_exoniensis.htm

Hi Skooby,

From what I understand most passionflowers need pollen from a different clone (genetically distinct plant) to produce fruit. Naturally this usually comes from a different plant of the same species. If everything had to be pollinated by a different species, there would be no stable species, only hybrids.

However there are quite a few different species that are self-fertile. It turns out BOTH parents of Passiflora exoniensis--Passiflora antioquiensis and Passiflora mollissima--are self fertile, however their hybrid Passiflora exoniensis is not.

Another well-known self-fertile species (that I own) is Passiflora edulis f. edulis (purple passionfruit--the one you might find in a grocery store).

P. caerulea pollen will not fertilize Tacsonias (P. antioquiensis, P. mollissima, P. parritae and closely related plants) as far as I'm aware.

I used to show people that Tradewinds picture and tell them that was the hybrid I have. Two problems: they describe the cross as P. parritae x exoniensis. The convention is that the pollen parent is listed second. However as far as I know P. exoniensis pollen is sterile. So I had assumed they just got things reversed. However recently I was told by a guy who propagates passionflowers at Strybing Arboretum that the plant in the photo is actually P. parritae x antioquiensis, a hybrid known as P. 'Mission Dolores'. I've been told it's the most spectacular of the P. parritae hybrids so far, with 16-24 inch peduncles (flower stems) and 6-7 inch enormous flowers. I bought this plant at Strybing a couple weeks ago.

As far as new plants, thanks for the offer, but I'm pretty full as it is. A couple weeks ago I decided to pass on a P. parritae plant. This weekend I took part in a large trade with someone who has an incredible plant collection--I took a lot of plants for friends instead of for myself.

However I can send you a rooted cutting for postage. It won't be immediate, because I have several people waiting for cuttings at the moment. But please be aware that the plant is probably ill suited to your climate. It grows year-round, unlikely many species that are fully dormant or at least slow way down in the winter. It probably prefers a temperature range of 35 to 85 F. Hotter than that for significant periods of time, especially with nights above 60, may kill the plant. However I'm not sure anyone knows how temperature tolerant this plant is (on the lower end, it almost certainly will die at less than 25-30 F). I know a guy in North Carolina who told me his plant was already suffering from the heat in the Spring, so he sold it. If you do have it outside in the summer, you'll want to give it full shade in the afternoon.

Wow, I am impressed! As a beginner in growing & collecting passion vines, I first want to say I have a 24 x 38 Greenhouse, heated in the winter of course. Its kept about 62 - 65 degrees at a contant level. I appreciate the infor mation & will clip if for future reference if you don't mind! Thank you for the offer of the cutting & I would love to take you up on it. Just email me when its rooted & ready & I will send you whatever postage you need.

Have great day & if you change you're mind on having one of my passion vines, just yell!

Skooby

I forgot to ask you if you would be willing to send me a rooted cutting of your Passiflora edulis f. edulis? I would gladly trade you for something that you were looking for, of course any plant other than a passionvine! LOL!

Skooby

Skooby,

There's so much lack of information and misinformation out there on passionflower pollination that it's essential to just cut through the crap and summarize what's known--in as much detail as is possible. Anyone, including myself, who has tried to figure out whether their plant is self fertile and what can serve as a pollinator can attest to the difficulties finding that information and how frustrating it can be to get help from others online.

A good overall reference is Passiflora: Passionflowers of the World, Ulmer, et al. However the information you will find there is very limited.

Since we're talking about P. exoniensis, that can serve as a good example. Do a search on the internet, and you will find sources split about 50:50 on the simple question of whether it's self-fertile or not.

For the wrong answer, see:

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Passiflora+x+exoniensis

For a right but incomplete answer see:

http://www.passionflow.co.uk/passiflora-exoniensis.htm

Myles Irvine, one of the world's passionflower experts, writes on his site "It does not produce any pollen as far as I can tell, but will set fruit with pollen from other Tacsonia."

I can assure you that the clone available from Strybing does in fact produce pollen (and no doubt Myles would concede that--he was probably referring to the clone he grows). Is it sterile? I wrote above that it is. However a friend told me just today that he has a plant whose tag suggests it was made with P. exoniensis pollen. Is this correct? We (my friend and I) don't know, so I should revise my statement above regarding the sterility of the pollen.

However the most important information, which you cannot retrieve easily off the internet for even such a common hybrid, is that P. exoniensis pollen is self-sterile. It took me a long time (and some attempted hand-pollination) to convince myself that was the correct answer given the conflicting reports. In the case of P. exoniensis. It boils down to trusting the most reputable sources.

There's no reason to keep the simple stuff a mystery. It's wise to be thorough.

I don't have any rooted cuttings of P. edulis. I have two clones--'Nancy Garrison' and 'Frederick'. 'Nancy Garrison' is P. edulis f. edulis. 'Frederick' is apparently a complex hybrid involving P. edulis f. edulis and P. edulis flavicarpa. 'Frederick' is described a "partially self-fertile", which to me sounds a bit like "sort of pregnant". My 'Frederick' went through a bit of a setback last winter--frost, snails, and squirrels and is not ready to propagate. I have been looking for an excuse to root some 'Nancy Garrison', though.

Mark, am I still on the list for cuttings?

Kay I hope you are...Mark has some of the best knowledge and plants on GW...How lucky we are to have him here spending his time teaching us...:) I think it is wonderful Mark how you want to share your knowledge with so many...Kudos may it come back at you...Barb