Gorgeous! Mine's in a hanging basket and I love the foliage too. Thanks Eric and Crystal!!!

The bloom looks a bit like a corkystem on steroids.

I like this one a lot too. But it seems 'Manta' doesn't like the cool temperatures here along the coast. Even in the unheated greenhouse it is growing only very slowly. It blooms nicely though.

Wow that is an interesting bloom.

You both are welcome, Karyn and Shawn!

It is a great plant, isn't it? Our main plant is in a hanging basket, has been blooming since spring, and is still going.

However, I have to agree with michaelg that it is very sensitive to cold. Any cold at all will usually cause damage. Protect it during the cold season...

Here are a couple of pics I took recently:

Eric and Crystal

Mine's in the greenhouse which is fairly cool at night and it's doing quite well. Depending on how sunny it is the greenhouse is anywhere from the mid 60's to upper 70's during the day and down into the mid 50's at night.

im going to look for one next year. It seems rare

the mine It's still flowering!

My manta spent a few weeks with nighttime temps in the low 40's and it's continued to bloom. The growth did slow but it didn't suffer any damage.

When some of you say your passis in a hanging basket, what size? I have a number of the green plastic hanging baskets from impatients, begonias etc fromt the porch and wondered if they would be large enough.
Space just becomes such an issue here in MN for the winters.
Thanks, Will

Our hanging basket is about 16 inches diameter with 3 plants in it. You could easily grow a single plant in a much smaller planter. P. 'Manta' seems to be able to grow and bloom very well even with root restrictions at a very small size.

Good luck!
Eric

Hi Karyn,
Is this a variety that can be grown from seed? I have to say, you now may have got me hooked on passion flowers! Thanks to you, I am now considering buying a few tropical varieties for there flowers. I still am hoping to get one or two for there fruits.
Andrew

I have no idea. I received mine as a rooted cutting.

Sorry Andrew, this one can not be grown from seed. Later in the year, Crystal and I may be able to send you a small rooted cutting. Email me personally, and we can discuss it.

gardeninggod@yahoo.com
or
eric@bloomingpassion.com

"Manta" is a hybrid cross between the ultra-rare and finicky p. xiikzodz and the much more common (and easy to grow) p. coreacea. There's another, similar hybrid, "Balam", which is the same cross going in the opposite direction. I've got a thing for decalobas, so if anyone's willing to trade these hybrids for anything I have, I'm game.

The decalobas seem to do better, grow and bloom, for me then any of the others, tasconia, passiflora. I like them, especially the foliage, but the blooms aren't nearly as striking.

Brushwood Nursery has these.