Passion flower Passiflora caerulea blue - Hardy plant

Hardy passion flower plants grow best in the garden. They do like a sheltered, sunny spot and that's just where these climbers are most likely to flower most abundantly and be at their prettiest. Improve the soil with some added potting compost. Remove the plant from its nursery pot and plant your passion flower in the soil. Water generously immediately after planting.
 
Passiflora in a large ornamental pot

Passiflora also grows well on the patio, in a greenhouse or conservatory or even as an indoor plant. Use a large flower pot with holes in the base (minimum 30 cm diameter). Cover the bottom with a layer of gravel or hydro-granules. Put compost in the pot and plant the root ball of the Passiflora pot at the correct depth. Fill with compost and press firmly. Water your passion flower immediately after planting. Put the passion flower in a place where it gets full sun. Climbing passion flower vine The long, supple branches of the passion flower plant like to grow up a frame, bamboo canes or a pergola so you need a nice sturdy frame for them whether potted or in the garden. Using garden ties, you can either tie your passiflora to the frame or just wind it through the frame.

If you regularly snip off the tips of side shoots on your Passiflora, you will encourage reflowering. If you want to see fruit grow on your plant, leave the overblown flowers to develop. For extra abundant flowering on your passion flower plant, Bakker advises feeding it regularly with a good liquid fertiliser throughout the summer. Overwintering Passiflora Passiflora planted in the garden is good and hardy but if you have it in a container, this climber will be frost sensitive. But you can still keep it over the winter in a pot. Thin it right out and store the pot in a light, frost-free area before the first frosts - at around 5-10˚ C. Water less but don't allow it to dry out entirely. Stand your passion flower plant in a warmer spot in the spring and pot it up with nice fresh potting compost and water more frequently. Once the plant starts growing, feed it again with liquid fertiliser for flowering plants. Then it should be able to go outdoors again and grace your patio or decking. Keep an eye out for late frosts and don't let it get damaged.

Once the passion fruit is mature and ripe it is of course edible. This is more likely in areas with direct sunlight.
The shape of a passion flower is said to represent the suffering of Christ. The crown petals and long stamens make you think of the crown of thorns. The plant's name comes from the Latin 'passio' (suffering) and 'flos' (flower). Many varieties of Passiflora will fruit in the summer.
Passiflora is classified under Passifloraceae.