Among all the many different types of passiflora, one of the most popular is the blue passionflower. The climbing plant, originally native to parts of Brazil and Argentina, enchants with wonderful blue-white flowers that are up to 10 centimeters in size on average.
What is the blue passion flower and how to care for it?
The blue passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) is a popular climbing plant with 10 cm large blue-white flowers that can be cultivated both indoors and in the garden. It needs a lot of light, regular fertilization and a climbing aid. This passion flower is frost-resistant down to -15°C.
Cultivation of Blue Passionflower
The blue passionflower can be grown as a houseplant as well as in the garden, on the balcony or in the greenhouse. It is quite easy to care for, but - like all passion flowers - it requires a lot of light, regular fertilization and a climbing aid. When it comes to houseplants, the usual round arches usually quickly become too small, as Passiflora caerulea is very fast-growing. It is therefore better to use upright climbing aids (e.g. a bamboo frame or a trellis). The blue passionflower is one of the few from the large passionflower family that is frost hardy as a young plant down to temperatures of up to -15 °C. Older specimens are said to be even less sensitive. However, planting out is only recommended in regions with favorable climatic conditions, such as wine-growing regions. Good winter protection, particularly covering the roots, is essential. The frozen upper parts of the plant are removed and the plant sprouts again in spring, assuming the roots are he althy.
Varieties of Passiflora caerulea
Through intensive breeding and the discovery of plants with mutations, there are now some interesting varieties of blue passionflower on the market, of which “Constance Eliott” is particularly noteworthy because of its pure white flowers and intense scent. In the following list you will find some particularly beautiful varieties of blue passionflower.
- Constance Eliott
- Chinensis
- Pierre Pomie
- Wild Brazil
- Gala
- Majorca
- Spyder
More hardy Passiflora
In addition to the blue passion flower, there are a number of other species that, simply because of their origin, have a certain degree of insensitivity to winter temperatures. Of these, Passiflora incarnata (also known as flesh-colored or hardy passionflower) is probably one of the most interesting: its flower is characterized by around 100 wavy, fringe-like projections. This species is also used as a medicinal plant in naturopathy and homeopathy. In 2011 it was voted medicinal plant of the year.
| Passionflower – Type | Flower color | flower size | Growth height | Frosthardiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passiflora violacea | violet | up to approx. 12 centimeters | in a bucket up to one meter | up to approx. – 10 °C |
| P. tucumanensis | blue-white / purple-white banded | up to approx. 7 centimeters | high | up to approx. – 15 °C |
| P. incarnata (flesh-colored passionflower) | various | up to approx. 8 centimeters, with fringe-like, wavy extensions | up to 6 meters | up to approx. – 15 °C |
| P. lutea | light green to white | up to approx. 2.5 centimeters | high | up to approx. – 15 °C |
Tips & Tricks
The blue passion flower produces orange-yellow, egg-shaped fruits, which are, however, inedible. However, they often contain a lot of seeds from which you can grow seedlings and thus new plants of the blue passionflower variety.