The passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is conditionally hardy. Plants with this characteristic cannot tolerate real frost. The exotic climbing beauties must be reserved for cultivation over several years. When it comes to the general conditions in the winter quarters, the passion fruit is pleasantly flexible. How to overwinter a passion fruit successfully.
How can you properly care for and overwinter a passion fruit in winter?
In order to overwinter a passion fruit successfully, it should be kept bright and cool at 8° to 15° Celsius, e.g. B. in a winter garden or cold house. It also survives in the dark cellar, but loses its leaves. Water the plant sparingly in winter and no longer fertilize.
Optimal: overwinter passion fruit brightly and coolly
As a summer sun worshiper, the passion fruit prefers a bright, light-flooded location even in winter. Cool temperatures put the passion fruit into winter dormancy. This is beneficial for a lavish flowering period and the desired fruit yield. Furthermore, the floral climber does not shed its leaves. This saves the energy required for new shoots next year. This is how you can optimally overwinter passion fruit:
- Put away: in good time before the first frost, preferably at temperatures below 10° Celsius
- Lighting conditions: bright to sunny with shading in direct sunlight
- Temperatures: 8° to 15° Celsius
Recommended winter locations are: winter garden, cold house, glazed terrace, stairwell or a bedroom. By the way, all evergreen, partially hardy potted plants are happy to keep you company here until next spring, such as the magnificent Dipladenia and Sundaville, star jasmine and oleander.
Optional: overwinter passion fruit dark and frost-free
Are there crowded conditions in bright winter quarters? If necessary, the passion fruit plant will tolerate a dark place in the basement or windowless garage. In the shady winter location, temperatures of 5° to 8° Celsius are ideal. Please select the location following the rule of thumb: the darker, the cooler, but always frost-free.
The difficult conditions will of course not leave your passion fruit unaffected. Without light, the evergreen climbing plant sheds its leaves. At the beginning of the next season, the passion fruit quickly compensates for the loss of leaves.
Care in winter mode – tips
With a slimmed-down care program, you can accompany passion fruit through the cold season. The following tips summarize what is really important now:
- Do not fertilize passion fruit after putting it away
- Watering sparingly, tailored to the general conditions in the winter quarters
- Extra tip: Insert a watering indicator (€4.00 on Amazon) in the substrate to avoid waterlogging
It is no cause for concern if, despite your efforts, the shoots dry back. Passion fruit plants tolerate cutting well. A vigorous pruning in February/March solves the problem. Take this opportunity to repot the passion fruit into fresh substrate for the perfect start to a flower-filled outdoor season.
Tip
In the flower box with integrated trellis, the passion fruit is useful as a representative privacy plant. Evergreen leaves and colorful ray flowers on epically long tendrils combine to form an impenetrable green wall. Only when it becomes too uncomfortable on the balcony and at the seat in the garden does the picturesque climbing beauty move to her winter quarters.
