Passionflower Incarnata Propagation

The distinct structure of a passionflower can be mistaken for no other plant.

Passionflower vine produces one of the most spectacular blooms of any flowering plant. The layered petals and sepals look like no other bloom and have a texture and color that reflects the name. Passionflower is also called maypop passionflower after the edible fruits that the plant produces. There are over 400 species in the genus Passiflora, most of which are tropical. Passionflower incarnata is a deciduous, semihardy vine that can withstand some cold snaps. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings or air layering.

Description

Passion vine incarnata is a self-adhering vine with curly tendrils that catch hold of any vertical surface. It has deeply lobed gray-green leaves with three to five indentations. The flowers are 2 to 3 inches across and are intricately composed. The exterior has white tepals or modified petals that are crowned by a corolla made up of white and purple frilled structures. Central to the composition is the white stigma and five prominent stamens. The vine can grow up to 12 feet in length.

Propagation by Seed

For propagation, the seed from the maypop fruit is harvested and soaked in water for at least 12 hours. The seed is then planted in a low-soil medium in spring. When kept watered and warm, it germinates in either summer or the following spring; the process may take a year and requires patience. Passionflower favors poor soil and is ready for transplant into a sandy soil mix when the seedling has two sets of true leaves.

Propagation by Cuttings

Propagating passionflower by cuttings is the easiest and quickest method to create new plants. The cutting is harvested in late summer and consists of a few inches of stem at a growth node. Clean, sterile cutting implements give the best chance of successful rooting and introduce fewer pathogens to the parent plant. Cuttings are rooted in soilless medium, kept in temperatures of at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit and misted frequently. A rooting hormone applied to the cut end increases the chances of rooting. Usually within two to three weeks, the cutting has rooted and is transplanted to a pot with soil and peat mixture.

Air Layering

Air layering requires no cutting and leaves the parent plant intact while building a separate plant. A stem is defoliated at a midpoint and buried partially in 2 to 3 inches of soil with the leafy end sticking up into the air. The leafy end collects energy for the plant while the buried portion roots. After a few weeks, the stem will have rooted but you need to wait until the plant is dormant before severing it from the parent plant and transplanting the shoot.

References

• Floridata; Passiflora Incarnata; Jack Scheper; Aug. 2003
• Loyola University New Orleans: Passion Flower- Passiflora Incarnata; Bob Thomas; June 12, 2009
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; Maypop Passion Flower- Passiflora Incarnata; D.W. Hall, et al.
• The Garden Helper; How to Grow and Care for Your Passion Flower Plant; Jan. 2011