Passionflower or passionflower is a representative of the Passionflower family, which has about 400-500 species. Most varieties grow in the tropics of South America, but are also found in Australia and the Mediterranean. One type of passionflower grows in Madagascar.

More about the flower

In the wild, passionflower is an evergreen herbaceous plant or climbing shrub, which can be annuals or perennials with a woody stem. Its leaves are simple, dark green, whole or lobed. The flowers grow on long stalks and have five petals. They exude a pleasant aroma, but are not durable, but they produce berries, which in some species are edible.

Flower care

At home, passionflower is grown as an hanging plant. Passion flower is quite unpretentious in maintenance, but is poisonous, with the exception of berries, which imposes certain restrictions. The plant must be placed where it will not be accessible to pets and small children.

Lighting

Passion flower, unlike many indoor plants, tolerates direct sunlight. The more bright light, the better and more abundant the flowering. It is best to place passionflower on windows with east or south orientation.
The plant does not die in the shade. It pleases with its lush green mass, but, unfortunately, it does not bloom. In warm weather, a flowerpot with a flower can be taken out onto the balcony or even into the garden. In winter, passionflower requires additional artificial lighting through fluorescent and phytolamps.

Temperature

Passion flower is a heat-loving crop. In the summer, she feels most comfortable with temperature conditions from 20 to 26 degrees. It can easily tolerate cooler microclimates. In the winter months, it is recommended to reduce the temperature to 12-17 degrees. The main thing is to protect passionflower from drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations.
The plant does not tolerate heat above 30 degrees. In winter, when the plant begins its dormant period, it should not be allowed to drop below 10 degrees. When passionflower is kept at room temperature all year round, it grows and does not die, but flowering is poor or does not occur at all.

Humidity

Passion flowers require high levels of humidity. It is maintained through daily mistings, as well as occasional warm showers. The pot with passionflower is placed on a tray with wet expanded clay or pebbles, or just water. The main thing is that the bottom of the container does not touch the water. A container filled with water placed next to the passionflower also helps to humidify the air.

Watering

A culture grown as an ampoule crop requires watering two to three times a week in spring and summer. Do not allow drying out or stagnation of moisture. After 20-30 minutes, the remaining water is poured out of the pan. IN winter time Watering is reduced to once every seven days.
Water is used from rainwater, melt water, or settled but warm water. It should be soft. In cold months, excess moisture leads to rotting of the root system. The soil should remain slightly moist. The top layer should not dry deeper than 2-3 cm.

Priming

The soil mixture for passionflower should be fertile and soft. You can use soil for begonias and lemon. A good substrate is obtained by mixing leaf soil, sand, peat, humus, taken in equal quantities. The soil is disinfected before planting.

Circumcision

Passionflower must be removed from dry, damaged, faded shoots. In early spring, the plant is pruned for the second year. Secondary shoots are shortened by a third, but strong shoots are not touched. The sections are treated with potassium permanganate. Passion flower requires support in the form of a lattice or wooden, plastic, or bamboo ladder.

Top dressing

Fertilizer should be applied during the active growth phase, which occurs between March and September, every 10 days. In winter, fertilizing is not used. Both organic and complex mineral fertilizers are used for indoor flowering plants. Mullein is used as organic matter, diluted with water 1:10. Fertilizers are applied only after the soil is moistened. In winter, passionflower is not fed.

Transfer

Young specimens grow actively. They are transplanted annually into a larger diameter pot. It is not recommended to touch adult passionflower often. It is enough to simply update the top soil layer. It is replanted every 2 or 3 years.
The procedure is carried out in April or May. Holes must be made in the flowerpot. A two-centimeter drainage layer of fine expanded clay is placed at the bottom of the pot. Transplantation is carried out through transshipment.
After replanting, passionflower is watered abundantly for one or two days. For the first 2 weeks, the plant is kept in partial shade. Further care for passionflower is similar to that for an adult plant.

Reproduction

Passion flowers are propagated by cuttings or seeds. Cuttings are cut from shoots that are closer to the ground. They must have a length of 15 to 20 cm and at least 2 leaves.
Cuttings take about two months to take root. To ensure everything goes well, add a little charcoal to the water. The cuttings are planted in soil made of peat and sand, taken in equal proportions, and then watered abundantly. You can germinate the roots in water.

Seeds are planted in February and March, first soaking for 2 days, and then deepening 1 cm into the ground. The planting is covered and kept at 23-27 degrees for 1 to 6 months, until shoots appear. You cannot take old seeds. They must be fresh. To improve germination, it is recommended to rub the planting material with sandpaper and then soak it in citrus juice.

Diseases and pests of indoor passionflower

A flower rarely gets sick and is attacked by pests, but only when the plant is provided with proper care.

Diseases

Passionflower, if the air in winter is too humid and watered excessively, is susceptible.

Passion flowers are not only unusual flowers that will decorate any garden, but also an exotic treat. Some species produce juicy and healthy fruits. It is unpretentious in care, but requires the gardener to have some skills and knowledge.

Belongs to the passionflower family. It can be either a liana-like perennial shrub or an annual herb. Its habitat is tropical forests. It grows wild in Australia, Asia, Peru and the Mediterranean. The plant has a developed and strong root system. The main root is up to 2-3 cm thick and up to 2 meters long. The stems are flexible, smooth and thin, and can be 10 m or more in length.

In their natural habitat, some specimens are 45 meters long.

The leaves are dark green in color, lobed or whole. The petioles are about 3 cm on average and serve to accommodate the leaves. Long stalks form colorful flowers with a diameter of 50-150 mm, depending on the species. A flower consists of five: sepals, petals, bracts and stamens, as well as three stigmas.

Popular types of passionflower

Over 400 species of passionflower grow in nature, but the exact number is impossible to determine. Because it lives in hard-to-reach places. However, there are some fruit-bearing varieties that can be grown at home.

These species have good frost resistance and can be grown in open ground at temperatures down to -15 °C.

These include:

• Incarnate (passiflora incarnata).

A plant up to 9 m long with a horizontally developed rhizome 3-15 mm thick. The stems are round and smooth without support. The leaves are leathery, simple, tripartite with a wedge-shaped base and oblong-ovate, sharply serrated sides. They are dark green above and light green below, 6-18 cm long and 8-20 cm wide. They are located at a distance of 4-12 mm from each other.

Flowers with double perianth with a diameter of 70-90 mm. They are bisexual and regular in shape. Petals and sepals are broadly lanceolate, leathery, pale lilac in color with a green base, 3 cm long and 10 mm wide. In the center of the receptacle there are thick, dorsoventrally flattened stamens and pistils. The fruits are oval, greenish-yellow, 5-7 cm long and 30-40 mm wide. The flowering period is June - September, and the fruiting period is August - October.

• Carulea (passiflora caerulea).

It has smooth, support-climbing stems 5-15 meters long. The leaves are fused at the base and have three parts. They have veins with noticeable drooping and a well-developed petiole. The petioles and leaves secrete a liquid that attracts ants.

The star-shaped flowers are large, up to 90 mm in diameter, purple. Sepals and petals are light. On the lower part of the sepals there are spur-like outgrowths. Between the perianth and the stamens are bright tricolor threads that form a crown. The stamens are green-yellow and the pistils are purple. The fruits are yellow or orange, up to 6 cm long and 40 mm wide. Blooms profusely from March to October.

• Edible Maestro.

A low-growing plant characterized by rapid growth, it can reach up to 4.5 m in length. On long shoots there are many tendrils with the help of which passionflower clings to the support. The leaves are large, glossy, 3-lobed. Flowers are lilac-white with a diameter of 80-120 mm. The ovoid fruits are red-brown or yellow-green. It bears fruit for the first time in the 2nd year after planting.

Passionflower growing and caring for the plant at home

To grow healthy passionflower, you need a certain environment, light and temperature. In addition, it requires care.

Lighting and temperature

Passionflower is light-loving; it blooms profusely and bears fruit only when there is plenty of light. It is recommended to place seedlings near south-eastern and south-western windows. The best option southern windows of the home, but with this placement make sure that the light does not fall on the leaves and unopened buds. To do this, during the day the windows are curtained using blinds. Only young plants need such protection.

It easily adapts to room temperatures of 20-27 °C in summer, and 15-18 °C in winter. In warm weather in spring or summer, the plant is taken out to the balcony or veranda. To do this, select a place with good lighting and sufficient protection from wind and rain. Here passionflower is left until autumn.

The plant does not tolerate intense heat and stagnant, stuffy air.

Soil and fertilizing

Passionflower is planted in a substrate for lemons or begonias; it is sold in stores.

Some people cook it themselves. Soil options:

• peat-sand (30/40%) with the addition of clay soil (30%);
• peat with leaf soil (1k1);
• a mixture of leaf and turf soil with peat and sand - in equal proportions.

Before planting, the soil is disinfected.

During the active growing season March-September, once every 10 days, after watering, the plants are fed by the roots using complex mineral and organic fertilizers, alternating with each other. Once a month they use the foliar method, spraying the leaves and stems of passionflower with fertilizers dissolved in water in a reduced dose. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are mainly used, and after the buds set, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are used.

Fertilizer

Passionflower is fertilized in February-March. To do this, prepare a solution from water and barn infusion (1k10) and moisten it with water.

Watering and air humidity

Passionflower requires a lot of moisture. It is regularly and abundantly watered with filtered boiled water so that the soil is completely moistened. Excess liquid is drained to avoid damage and death of the root system. In summer, the flower is watered 3-4 times a week, without waiting for the soil to dry completely. In winter, the number of waterings is reduced and before the next procedure they wait until the soil dries.

If the passionflower is large and growing on a support, then it will not be possible to take such a plant out of the room. In the evenings, it is moistened using a spray bottle, and the room is ventilated several times a day.

In winter, moistened expanded clay is added to the passionflower pot, or the flower pot is placed in a tray with this material. A small or medium-sized plant is watered from the shower with warm water once a week. For large animals, weaving along the wall on supports or ladders, the leaves are washed.

Trimming

Passion flower pruning is carried out in the 2nd or 3rd year of the plant’s life in spring and autumn. For this:

1. Use sterile pruning shears or garden shears to trim dried, drooping or damaged branches.
2. Cut off the shoots that grow at the base of the vine.
3. Trim the branches at the top of the plant.
4. Last year's shoots are shortened by 1/3.

Transfer

Transplantation is performed after spring pruning. Young passionflower is replanted every spring, and an adult one every 2-3 years. When carrying out the procedure, pay attention to the roots so that they are not dark, rotten or damaged. If there are any, they are removed. To prevent infection, diseased roots are cut off to include 1-2 cm of the healthy zone.

The pot for replanting plants is ceramic and stable. It should be light, as the roots may overheat in a dark container. With each new transplant, the width of the pot is increased by 20-30 mm.

Rest period

Passionflower requires a period of rest when the plant regains its strength. During this period, it is removed to a well-lit and fairly cool (up to -12°C) room. Also, the flower is watered 2 times less often than usual, fertilizing and spraying are stopped, and artificial lighting is also turned off.

Passion flower propagation

To propagate the plant at home, use seeds. Reproduction is carried out using cuttings.

Propagation by cuttings

Passionflower is propagated by young shoots remaining after spring pruning. Suitable for this are cuttings cut 5 cm from the bud with a growing point and more than 4 petals. They are rooted in substrate or water.

The cuttings are rooted in the substrate as follows:

1. Remove a couple of lower petals.
2. Treat the bottom of the cutting with any root-forming preparation.
3. Prepare a container for rooting and fill it with substrate.
4. Take a thin stick or pencil and then make a deep hole in the soil.
5. Place the cutting in it.

The top of the cuttings is covered with polyethylene or film covering. The finished structure is transferred to a room with a temperature of up to +21°C and care is taken that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. The rooting process lasts 3 weeks.

Cuttings are also rooted in a solution of water and crushed activated carbon tablets. During the rooting process, the water is not changed, but added as it evaporates. The roots grow in 1.5-2 months, after which they are transplanted into a pot with soil mixture.

Propagation by seeds

For cultivation, high-quality purchased seeds are used, and the procedure itself is performed as follows:

1. Using sandpaper, the hard shell is slightly damaged.
2. Take warm water (25 g) and soak the seeds for 2 days.
3. The swollen seeds are collected, and the floating ones are thrown away.
4. Fill the pot with a moistened peat-sand substrate and press the seeds into it. Cover it with a lid or polyethylene.
5. Place the container in a room with a temperature of 22-25 °C. Air the seeds daily and moisten the soil.
6. After the seedlings appear, the canopy is removed after 1-2 months.
7. When the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, they are transplanted into separate pots.

Diseases and pests of passionflower

In winter and autumn, excess moisture leads to the development of fungal diseases, which appear as spots on the leaves, after which they wither or die. For prevention purposes, such passionflower is treated with fungicides.

If watered incorrectly, rotting of the roots may occur. In this case, the entire system is cut off and re-rooting is performed. If rotting is observed on the trunk, then healthy shoots are cut off and cuttings are made.

Passionflower leaves are attractive to aphids, scale insects and scale insects. The presence of pests is symbolized by: slow growth of flowers, their pale color and abundant shedding of foliage. You can get rid of them using a soap solution or insecticides.

Useful and medicinal properties of passionflower

Passionflower is very beneficial for the body because it contains:

• vitamins of groups: A, B, C, E and PP;
• minerals: magnesium, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, etc.;
• acids: formic, butyric, myristic, malic and palmitic.

The plant is actively used in traditional and alternative medicine. From shoots up to 0.6 m, developed buds and tops, various teas, alcoholic tinctures and herbal preparations are made.

It has strong sedative, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and analgesic properties. It relaxes the central nervous system, calms the nerves, relieves insomnia, headaches and stress. In addition, preparations based on passionflower stabilize hormonal levels and restore the immune system, and also prevent asthmatic attacks.

Wintering passionflower

Passionflower overwinters in a dormant period. But during this process, its leaves may turn yellow and fall off, and the buds may not open.

Why do leaves turn yellow?

Yellowing of leaves can occur due to:

• lack of light;
• lack of nutrients;
• excess water in the soil;
• activity of spider mites and other pests.

Why doesn't it bloom at home?

Passionflower needs proper rest after the growing season, which it receives during the dormant period. If any of the conditions for its creation were not met, this may cause a lack of flowering. Another reason for the lack of flowers may be the predominant use of nitrogen-type fertilizers. In addition, a plant may not produce flowers if it lacks: light, moisture or fertilizing.

Apr 04 2019

Passionflower - home care

Coming to us from the tropics, passionflower is an evergreen vine covered with beautiful leaves and magnificent flowers of amazing shape and color. The flower will decorate and transform the interior of your room beyond recognition. In addition, this plant can bring great benefits to its owner or mistress. Let's tell you more about caring for passionflower at home.

The medicinal properties of this plant have been known since ancient times. Only the above-ground parts of passionflower are suitable for medicinal purposes. They are harvested during the flowering of the vine and dried well in air. Preparations prepared from the leaves, shoots and inflorescences of the plant are still used both in medicine and in everyday life. It is known that some of them reduce nervousness and irritability, others improve memory, increase potency and performance. They are successfully used to treat alcoholism and drug addiction. The syrup is indicated for hypertensive patients, and the tincture eliminates autonomic disturbances, insomnia, and normalizes sleep. Preparations based on passionflower have no side effects or addiction.

But you must understand that all these properties occur in a healthy, actively growing and flowering plant. It is you who will have to provide him with suitable living conditions under which this vine with its flowers and juicy edible fruits will be the main decoration of your home, your healer and a delicious addition to homemade desserts.

Caring for passionflower at home

Now we will tell you how to care for passionflower in order to grow a beautiful plant and maintain its decorative appearance, ability to bloom abundantly and bear fruit for many years.

Location and lighting

Passionflower is a very light-loving flower. It will grow well and bloom profusely only in bright sunlight. Therefore, choose a place for him near windows in the southeast or southwest directions. South-facing windows will be even better, provided that you make sure that the rays of the midday sun do not fall on the delicate leaves and buds of a young flower. To do this, the south window must be equipped with blinds or a light curtain, which must be removed in the morning and evening hours.

An adult plant is not afraid of the sun. It even needs direct sunlight. Whenever possible, take passionflower outdoors, where there is plenty of light and warmth. This plant will grow in the shade, but will not bloom.

Air temperature and humidity

Passionflower adapts well to room temperature. In summer it is 20–27 g, and in winter 15–18 g is enough. In the warm season, some species can and should be taken out to the balcony or veranda. Find a sunny place there, protected from drafts and natural precipitation, where passionflower will thrive until the autumn temperature drops.

This tropical plant cannot tolerate intense heat and stagnant, stuffy air. If you have a large specimen that grows on supports, you will not be able to take it outdoors for the summer. Then you will have to ventilate the room more often, every evening moisten the leaves of the vine and the air around it with settled water using a spray bottle. The stream of water should not come into contact with the flowers.

In winter, it will be especially difficult for a flower to grow in a room with heating on. We recommend placing the pot in a tray with wet expanded clay. For more modest-sized passionflower specimens, we recommend giving them a warm shower at least once a week. This should be done carefully so as not to break the shoots. But we remind you that this is only suitable for medium and small sized vines. You will not be able to bathe the giants that climb along the walls with the help of supports and devices in the form of gratings or ladders. Then ventilate and spray the room more often, wash the leaves.

Watering

Passionflower uses a lot of water. The green mass with large leaves evaporates a lot of moisture and constantly needs to be replenished. Watering should be done frequently and regularly, until the earthen clod is completely soaked. But excess water from the pan must still be drained so that it does not stagnate and destroy the roots of the flower. In the summer, you don’t have to wait for the soil in the pot to dry out and water it several times a week. The frequency and volume of watering should be reduced only in winter, when the vine is in a cool room. Carry out the next watering only after the top layer of soil has dried.

Use filtered water (rain, boiled) for irrigation and spraying. As a last resort - settled tap water at room temperature.

Top dressing

During the period of active growth and flowering, passionflower should be fed every 10 days after the next watering or during it, so as not to inadvertently burn the dry roots. For feeding, complex mineral fertilizers for decorative flowering indoor plants and organic fertilizers are used, alternating them with each other. Once a month, we recommend replacing root feeding with foliar feeding by adding fertilizer in a halved dose to the water for spraying. At the beginning of spring, the fertilizing should contain a higher nitrogen content so that the growth of shoots and leaves is more active. After a set of buds, potassium and phosphorus should predominate in the fertilizer, then the flowering will be more lush and vibrant.

Fertilizing is not carried out in winter, during the dormant period. If the vine is sick, then fertilizers are also not applied to the soil.

Support

The long stems of the vine grow quickly, become woody and become heavy. Numerous leaves, buds and fruits make them even heavier. If you don't help the plant, it will break. Therefore, the flower needs fairly strong support. It will be better if this support is in the form of a fancy but durable ladder, stylized lattice or other original shape.

Note that the vine that stretches high along the support blooms more abundantly and longer than the one that is twisted into a ring.

Direct the shoots regularly towards the support so that they cling to it with their flexible tendrils and hold on tightly.

Trimming

In the first year of life, when the plant is just forming, pruning is not required for the vine. Begin pruning in the second or third year in spring and fall to encourage vigorous growth and branching of the vine. We'll tell you how best to do this.

1. Prepare a clean, sharp tool - garden shears, pruning shears, a knife.
2. First of all, prune dry, limp, diseased or injured branches, if any.
3. Remove shoots growing at the base of the vine.
4. Trim off the top branches.
5. Trim last year's shoots by 1/3.

Also follow a few rules:

• Do not touch strong and strong young shoots, just pinch them, as it is on them that the buds will form.
• When the vine fades, in the fall, you will need to completely cut off the secondary bald long shoots, and shorten the remaining strong shoots by 3/4 of the length.
• Treat the cuts in a timely manner with potassium permanganate or sprinkle with activated (or charcoal) carbon.

Transfer

We recommend replanting the vine in the spring after the next pruning. Replant young plants in a new pot every spring, and adult plants once every 2-3 years. The older the plant, the less it needs to be replanted. The time will come when it will be enough to replace the top layer of substrate in the old pot with fresh soil.

During transplantation, pay attention to the roots, their color, and elasticity. If there are dark, rotten or damaged roots, they should be removed with a clean, disinfected tool. To prevent the infection from spreading, pruning should include a couple of centimeters of the healthy area. Sections should be treated with potassium permanganate.

Pot

Select a small but stable, preferably ceramic, light-colored pot for the passionflower. Liana loves the sun, but in a dark pot its root system can overheat. Each new container should be only 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. Otherwise, in a pot that is too large, the plant will grow roots and greenery to the detriment of flowering.

The soil

Soil for passionflower can be bought in a store (for decorative flowering indoor plants) or prepared independently by mixing peat, leaf, turf soil and sand in equal parts. All components are disinfected and mixed well. A layer of drainage (expanded clay, perlite, brick chips, pebbles) is poured onto the bottom of the new pot, then a layer of soil, onto which a passionflower bush is carefully placed along with a lump of earth. The roots around and above are covered with soil and watered with water at room temperature.

How does passionflower overwinter?

For passionflower (passion flower), the dormant period is very important, during which the flower gains strength. To do this, you should choose a cool, bright room (an insulated loggia or an enclosed balcony, where the temperature does not drop below 12 degrees Celsius), reduce the frequency of watering to a minimum, and cancel fertilizing, spraying, and illumination with artificial lamps. Some types of passionflower are frost-resistant. If you have this species, you can put it in a room with a lower temperature for the winter.

If you do not have the opportunity to create a dormant period for your flower, then leave it in its place and care for it as usual. But perhaps the flower will begin to lose its leaves and refuse to bloom next summer.

Bloom

Huge, brightly colored flowers are the main decoration of indoor passionflower. Try to provide your vine with the proper living conditions, which we wrote about above, and you will admire its wonderful flowers from mid-summer to mid-autumn. Let us remind you that each individual flower lives only for a day and falls off. You should try to have as many buds and, accordingly, flowers on your vine as possible.

How to propagate passionflower

Indoor passionflower can be propagated in two ways: seeds and cuttings.

Growing passionflower from seeds

We recommend buying Passionflower seeds in a specialized store, and not from your grandmother at the market. You can, of course, try to get seeds from your own grown fruits. But we warn you that at home, the fruits rarely ripen, and the resulting seeds quickly lose their viability. Experts have proven that it is no higher than 30% for fresh seeds and 1% for last year’s seeds.

Seeds must be prepared in a special way before planting:

1. For more successful and faster germination, their hard shell should be slightly damaged. To do this, rub the seeds with fine sandpaper.
2. Soak the seeds for 2 days in warm (25 g) water. Some gardeners use milk or orange (lemon) juice for swelling.
3. Remove the floating seeds and use the swollen ones for planting.
4. Pour a light substrate of peat and sand into a prepared greenhouse with a lid, moisten it with a fine spray bottle with warm water.
5. Gently press the prepared seeds half a centimeter into the soil at some distance from each other. Close the lid.
6. One hundred percent humidity is needed. Place the greenhouse in a warm place (22-25 degrees) with diffused lighting. At night, it is permissible to reduce the temperature to 15 degrees. When caring for crops, they must be ventilated every day and, as necessary, moisten the soil.
7. Shoots may appear in a month or even much later. Sometimes seeds that are poorly prepared for planting take almost a year to germinate. When the seedlings appear and grow a little, the shelter can be removed.
8. For normal development, seedlings will need at least 12 hours of daylight. If it is shorter, use additional lighting.
9. After two true leaves appear on the young plants, carry out a pick - transplant the seedlings into separate containers along with a lump of earth. Continue to moisten the soil and add additional light with a phytolamp or lamp daylight up to 12 hours minimum.

Sometimes, seeds are planted in peat tablets, then picking is not required; the seedlings, along with the tablet, are placed in new pots.

For propagation, you can use young shoots that remain from the spring pruning of the vine. Suitable for this purpose are cuttings cut five cm from the bud, which have a growing point and at least four leaves. Root them in the substrate and water. Let's consider both options.

The procedure for rooting cuttings in the substrate is as follows:

1. remove the two lower leaves;
2. Treat the lower part of the cutting with a rooting preparation, for example, Kornevin;
3. prepare a container in which you will root the cuttings, fill it with a soil mixture suitable for indoor plants;
4. Using a pencil or a suitable stick, make a hole in the soil to the very bottom, into which insert your cutting so that the remaining leaves on it are on the surface of the substrate.

A shelter made of polyethylene or cling film should be built over the cuttings. Place the greenhouse in a warm place with an air temperature of +21 degrees. It should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Rooting will take approximately three weeks. Until this time, if necessary, you should ventilate and moisten the greenhouse. After rooting, the cover can be removed.

You can root cuttings in a solution of water, to which a crushed tablet of activated carbon or a piece of charcoal is added. During rooting, the water does not change, only warm water is added as it evaporates. After about one and a half to two months, when the roots appear and grow a little, the cutting can be planted in a pot with soil for passionflower.

Diseases and problems during cultivation

Passionflower rarely gets sick and is rarely affected by harmful organisms if its owner follows all the rules for caring for the flower. Otherwise, problems cannot be avoided. Let's try to figure out when they occur most often and how to deal with them.

Passionflower leaves are covered with gray or brown wet spots. The reason is excessive watering, stagnation of water in the pan, watering with cold tap water, heavy wet soil. In such conditions, the vine was probably affected by one of the fungal infections - gray rot or rust.

Treatment involves treatment with fungicides against fungal infections and dry keeping. If the disease is advanced, we recommend cutting off healthy shoots and re-rooting them. And in a sick flower, cut off the parts of the plant affected by the disease and inspect the root system. If there is something to save, that is, not all the roots have rotted, then leave the healthy, light and elastic roots and transplant what is left of the vine into a new pot with new drainage and substrate.

Passionflower growth slowed down, and its leaves began to turn yellow. The reason is lack of water.

The passionflower stem has become limp. The reason is the high humidity of the soil and surrounding air. Stop watering and spraying the plant for a while. Find a drier room for the flower.

Passionflower leaves do not grow and remain small. The reason is lack of sunlight.

Passionflower does not bloom at home. There are several reasons. The main one is that the flower needs a full rest in winter from the past flowering season (we described this in detail in the section “rest period”) and gain strength for the future. If you were unable to provide it with such conditions and grew it in winter next to a warm radiator, then flowering may be sparse or absent altogether.

Other reasons why passionflower will not bloom:

• she lacks lighting;
• you rarely water or feed it;
• fertilizing consists mainly of nitrogen components, and the vine grows shoots and leaves, but buds do not form.

Passiflora leaves turn yellow. There are several reasons:

• insufficient lighting;
• lack of microelements in the soil;
• excess moisture in the soil, in which not only the leaves turn yellow, but the root system can also rot;
• The leaves of a mature old bush turn yellow and fall off. This is a natural process and you should not worry;
• the presence of insect pests on leaves and shoots. But we will write about this a little later.

The tips of passionflower leaves dry out and darken. The reason is too low humidity in the room. You may not spray your flower enough, bathe it little, don’t take it out into the fresh air, and rarely ventilate the room.

However, the leaves may darken if the soil becomes too dry or waterlogged. If darkened leaves begin to fall off en masse, you should analyze your actions for caring for the plant.

Droplets appeared on the leaves. The appearance of droplets of sweet nectar at the base of some leaves is a natural feature of this vine. But, if the room is too hot and stuffy, or if the pot is in the sun, causing the soil in it to overheat, droplets may be released abundantly, as if calling you to take the necessary measures.

Passionflower sheds its buds. There are several reasons.

1. During the flowering period, passionflower does not like change, so irregular watering, drafts, sudden changes in air temperature and even moving the pot to another place can cause the buds to drop.
2. Lack of water, light or nutrition.

There are other infectious diseases that are transmitted from diseased plants (upon purchase) or carried by insects. These are scab and root rot. In case of infection, we advise you to immediately destroy the passionflower along with the soil, so as not to spread the infection to other plants. If the pot is dear to you, you can leave it and use it only after thorough treatment with disinfectants.

Pests

To accurately select the desired insecticide in the store, we advise you to photograph the part of the plant where the largest concentration of these insects is. Then the seller will tell you the most suitable drug and give instructions according to which you will treat your vine, causing it a minimum of inconvenience.

Conclusion

Weaving along decorative supports, the evergreen vine with fragrant fantastic flowers will create beauty and comfort in your apartment and will compete with tastefully chosen furniture and accessories. Lush greenery and bright inflorescences will delight your eyes, improve the microclimate in the room, filling it with a pleasant aroma, and transform your interior beyond recognition. We are confident that you will be able to grow such an exotic plant in your home in a short time and admire it for many years.

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On the night when the blood of Christ was shed
(People have a legend about this) -
It first blossomed in the shadow of the cross
And that is why it is called passion flower. It is not for nothing that we placed these lines from Heine at the very beginning of the article. Passions, as you know, are different. They can be deep, spiritual, about which Heine writes, or they can turn out to be more frivolous, associated with “matters of the heart.” Oddly enough, one flower managed to combine such different manifestations of human feelings in its name. This is the Passiflora flower, a popular and prominent character in our floral indoor collections.

Passion flower: history of the name and botanical description

Genus Passiflora ( Passiflora) botanists refer to the family Passionflowers. The passionflower flower came to Europe with the first waves of conquistadors conquering the newly discovered American continent. Thus, botanists of the Old World learned about the flower many centuries ago.

They found out and were surprised. The flower, unique in shape, aroused the fervent religious imagination of Italians! Church leader D. Bossi saw in it the story of Christ's passion. Everything was noticed: three stigmas, reminiscent of the nails with which they nailed Jesus to the cross, and a characteristic crown, reminiscent of a crown of thorns, and even five stamens, like five wounds on the body of the son of the Lord. Subsequently, other symbolic coincidences were described.

There was no doubt left, and the Italians named the wonderful flower Passiflora, combining the Latin “passio” - to suffer and “flora” - flower. In a free translation into Russian, the name sounded like “passion flower,” which refers specifically to the passion of the Lord on the cross.

But if only you had imagination, it would suggest options! The Russians noticed another feature of the passionflower flower - it resembles the elaborate order on the chest of a gallant hussar officer. This is how another popular name among the people appeared - “cavalier star”.

Over many centuries, passionflowers have spread to different regions of the planet, even reaching places with a temperate climate. But the most beautiful, vibrant species still grow in the tropical forests of South America and Madagascar.

All passionflowers are either herbaceous, large plants, or climbing shrubs, but most often vines. Leaves are attached to long, tenacious shoots, which different types can look different: both simple and lobed. The shoots cling to the support with the help of special tendrils and are able to travel many meters vertically.

But the decoration of passionflower, without a doubt, is its famous flowers, which we have already talked about. They have an amazingly expressive shape, and the flower itself is large, up to 10 cm in diameter, and often fragrant. The passionflower flower has five petals and the same number of sepals, which are almost indistinguishable from the petals in appearance. Therefore, many people believe that passionflower has 10 petals.

The famous crown is formed by peculiar bright threads located between the perianths and stamens. The bracts are also bright and large. All these elements of the flower form a real ensemble - amazing in shape and beauty!

Species diversity

The genus passionflower is extensive, it includes about five thousand species. Most of them prefer to grow in tropical and subtropical climates, but there are species that are resistant to cold. They can be grown in open ground, for example, in Transcaucasia, the Far East, and the southern regions of Europe. Therefore, passionflowers can be considered purely indoor plants, and even conditionally garden ones, if you live in the south of Russia. But we will focus on the most popular indoor types.

1. Passionflower blue ( Passiflora caerulea ). Despite the name, there are varieties with red and pink flowers. It was she, in fact, who received the popular nickname “Cavalier Star”. The flowers are large, the plant is quite unpretentious, and has been in cultivation for more than four hundred years. In Transcaucasia, as well as in some places of the North Caucasus and Crimea, it is capable of growing in open ground. The fruits of this species can be eaten.
2. Passiflora meat-red (Passiflora incarnata). The leaves are divided into three segments, with serrated edges. The flowers are solitary, purple in color. Characteristic feature also is the presence of powerful underground rhizomes, from the dormant buds of which new shoots grow. The fruit has the shape of an orange berry.
3. Passiflora edible (Passiflora edulis) . A close relative of the meat-red one. It is distinguished by large fruits suitable for food. They are sold in our supermarkets under the name "passion fruit". And here are the flowers passionflower edible surprisingly small, only about 3 cm.
4. Passionflower winged (Passiflora alata ). Known as "Brazilian passion fruit". The flowers are large, fragrant, one of the most variegated and brightest in the passionflower genus. The fruits are delicious and popular in South America, especially Brazil.

Conditions and care

In general, the passionflower flower is an unpretentious indoor flower. And this is justified, if not for one BUT: it is not so easy to get this plant to bloom! It will grow on you, despite obvious mistakes in care, but it is possible that only like a green vine.

Lighting and location

Passion flowers love sunlight. It should be abundant, and for many months in a row. This is where the main difficulty lies! If there is not enough light, the passionflower will either not bloom at all, or will bloom with small, pale, single flowers. Considering that the passionflower flower stays on the plant for only a day, or two at most, this will be a more than modest result.

Therefore, keep your “star” in the brightest place, ideally on a south-facing balcony. If possible, take it out into the garden for the summer, or open the balcony.

Attention! Despite this, the passionflower flower does not tolerate intense heat, above +30°C, especially when combined with dry air.

Air temperature and humidity

We have already quietly touched on these parameters. During the active growing season, the best temperature for passionflowers is from +20 to +26°C. In the winter months, when the passionflower is resting, it needs coolness, ranging from +10 to +14°C. As already mentioned, some species, e.g. P. blue, are able to tolerate even slight frosts.

Passion flowers love moist air, but with one important condition: it should not be stagnant. If possible, moisten the place where the flower grows: by spraying, placing the pot on a tray with wet expanded clay, or in other ways. Again, dry air will not kill the plant immediately, but it will not look its best.

Do not forget! In winter, when the temperature drops significantly, humidification must be stopped.

Watering and fertilizing

The roots of this flower like the soil to always remain moist, so when watering, try not to let it dry out, even in the top layer. At the same time, avoid stagnation of water in the pot. Make sure that there is no layer of water left in the pan: immediately drain the excess after watering. In winter, as the temperature drops, significantly reduce the frequency of watering: just make sure that the soil does not dry out completely.

You also need to fertilize - only during the active growing season. Use standard flowering plant kits sold in stores. The frequency of feeding is 2-3 times a month. The plant responds well to foliar feeding.

Suitable soil

Under natural conditions, passionflowers grow mainly on depleted, sandy soils. Therefore, the soil composition should not contain excess nutrients. This usually leads to the passionflower becoming “fat” to the detriment of flowering.

In addition, the soil for it should be:

• light, permeable to water and saturated with air;
• neutral in acidity, or even slightly alkaline.

Based on the above, you can use a purchased universal soil, additionally diluting it with sand and a small amount of peat. But it’s easy to make soil for this flower yourself, by mixing, for example, light deciduous soil in equal parts, river sand and peat (preferably lowland, not so acidic).

Subtleties of transplantation and planting

Plants are usually replanted in early spring, when passionflower emerges from winter dormancy. This procedure is carried out every year for young specimens, and for adults - every year, or even two to three.

Take a small pot so that a certain constraint stimulates the passion flower to live up to its name - flowering. Even large, mature flowers are kept in pots, the diameter of which usually does not exceed 30 cm.

When replanting, do not forget about a good drainage layer, and also, if possible, use transshipment - keep most of the old earthen lump intact.

At the time of transplantation, be sure to cut off old, heavily lignified and bare shoots, as well as young ones growing at the base and thickening the entire crown.

Plant pruning

We touched important element on planting and caring for passionflower at home. Without proper pruning, the “Cavalier Star” will quickly lose its shape, turning into a shapeless “crow’s nest.” Plus it won't bloom well!

The first pruning is carried out three years after sowing the seeds. The following can be described by the following scheme:

• spring pruning during transplantation, the essence of which we have already described above;
• In addition to this, in the spring, remove some of the secondary shoots from last year;

Remember! Passion flower blooms on the shoots of the current year. Proper pruning will stimulate the development of flower buds.

• cut off the rest of last year's lashes by a third of the length in the spring;
• In summer, promptly remove shoots emerging from underground buds;
• in the fall, after flowering, cut off the longest shoots that have grown over the summer, especially the second order.
• Combine pruning with proper crown formation. Tie the shoots to a vertical support or form an ampelous, hanging crown. Do not allow vigorously growing passionflower to form a thickened, unsightly tangled mass.

Reproduction

The plant is propagated by cuttings and root suckers. Both methods are quite common and accessible. You can also use seed germination.

Reproduction by cuttings

To root a passionflower cutting, cut off the shoot of the current year: young, but already slightly woody (beginning to turn brown). The cuttings must have two internodes, respectively, two pairs of leaves. The lower pair is torn off, and the thin shoot with the remaining pair of leaves is planted in a greenhouse with a light substrate.

You need to plant so that the base of the leaves is at ground level. In other words, the entire cutting, up to the second internode, must be immersed in the ground. To do this, you will need to make a narrow hole in the substrate, for example, with a pencil.

Moisten the substrate, cover the cutting with a bag or glass jar, and leave at a temperature of +20 to +25°C in diffused light, occasionally ventilating. Rooting usually occurs within a few weeks.

For your information! Passion flower cuttings take root well even in a jar of water. Condition - the water should be at room temperature and not change throughout the rooting process.

In spring, when transplanting, convenient separate from the mother plant one or even several offspring, emerging from underground buds on the rhizome. After this, the root sections must be treated with a fungicide, or simply crushed coal.

Propagation by seeds

It is also possible to propagate passionflower by seeds, but not so easily. Keep in mind that they quickly lose their germination capacity, and even among fresh ones, hardly one out of three will germinate. Before planting, scarification should be carried out - rub the seed with fine sandpaper to break the very dense outer shell.

After completing this procedure, soak the seed in a jar of warm, soft water, in which you have previously dissolved some growth stimulator. Wait two days, after which throw away the seeds remaining on the surface - they still will not sprout.

Place those that have sunk to the bottom carefully and evenly on the surface of the prepared moist substrate. You can lightly sprinkle it with a layer of sand, but very thin - so that a stream of light breaks through it.

Cover the “bed” with thin glass or plastic film to maintain almost 100% humidity on the surface. Place the container with the sown seeds in a warm, well-lit place. Be patient, sometimes seedlings appear only after six months!

Interesting! It has been noticed that seeds hatch faster if there is a significant difference in daily temperatures. At night it should become 10 -12 degrees colder than it was during the day. This regime stimulates the activation of life processes in the seeds.

A passionflower flower obtained from seeds can bloom only after six years, or even more. For all these reasons, it is clear that propagation by cuttings is a more preferable option for the amateur.

Diseases and problems

Most often, gardeners complain about the lack of flowering, which, in turn, is usually explained by insufficient lighting. Many problems arise if the passionflower flower is left to spend the winter in a warm apartment. Usually, it loses a lot of leaves, and the remaining ones look withered, yellowed at the edges. In addition, such a plant is depleted over the winter, which, again, negatively affects flowering.

The passionflower flower does not like cold drafts, stagnant, musty air, or sudden changes in daily temperatures. If the soil is too dense and water stagnates, root rot, late blight, or fusarium may develop. It is extremely difficult to get rid of these fungal diseases - it is better to prevent them.

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