Anyone who picked up a small passion flower as a random purchase from the grocery store or grew young plants from seedlings can hardly imagine how big these climbing plants can get. Many representatives of the extensive Passiflora family easily reach heights of up to 10 meters - provided, of course, that growth conditions and care are right. So it's no wonder that many plants have to be pruned before being put away for winter quarters.
When and how should you cut passion flowers?
Passionflowers should be pruned before the growing season or in the fall: Trim side shoots to three to five eyes to encourage greater branching and more flowers. Spent flowers should be removed to protect the plant.
Cutting the side shoots leads to stronger branching
Passion flowers grow from several strong leading shoots, which can become woody with age - provided they have not been pruned beforehand. However, the hoped-for blooms can only be seen on the young (i.e. this year's) side shoots, which is why these should be shortened in autumn, but at the latest shortly before the start of the growing season. It is enough to leave only three to five eyes, the stronger the plant will grow again and develop numerous branches. As a rule of thumb: the more new growth and branches, the more flowers you can expect.
Remove spent flowers
If you are not really hoping for fruits and seeds, you should remove the shoots with the dead flowers. The formation of fruits and seeds costs the plant a lot of energy, and it also fulfills its reproductive urge by producing seeds. As a result, she invests less energy in her flowers. Removing dead flowers ensures that you can enjoy the beautiful flowers of your Passiflora for a longer period of time. But don't worry: Since passion flowers are usually perennial, you can look forward to the following year.
Cutting back passiflora in autumn
Passion flowers can grow very large: Provided they have a correspondingly large pot, as well as a nice, sunny spot and plenty of water and fertilizer, the fast-growing plants will quickly climb any climbing aid they can get their hands on. However, only a few Passiflora are winter hardy and should therefore be overwintered frost-free - i.e. in the house, apartment or in an unheated greenhouse. However, you don't need to worry about space problems because you can cut the plant back drastically without worrying. The leading branches of older passion flowers can be shortened to around 15 to 20 so that they easily fit on the windowsill in the unheated bedroom.
Tips & Tricks
When pruning the plant, be sure to use both sharp (€14.00 on Amazon) and clean tools. A blunt knife or scissors would only injure the passiflora unnecessarily and also provide an entry point for fungi and other pathogens.