My Passion Flower Is Wilting

Passion flower vines grow beautiful blooms.

Passion flower vines are sun-loving, fast growing vines with intricate flowers that will give you that splash of color and beauty you've always longed for along your arbor, fence or trellis. If your passion flowers begin to wilt or fade on what appears to be a healthy vine, there are several things it could be, but keep in mind, it's most likely something simple and nothing to fret about.

Insufficient Water

Like many flowering vines, if you don't provide passion flower vines with enough water, they will wilt as will the leaves. Water your passion flowers if the soil is dry approximately 2 to 3 inches beneath the soil. Test with your finger or dig a little hole. You may have had a short drought and your passion flower vine just needs moisture. Water with about an inch or 2 of water and repeat every week until it starts to rain as usual.

Insufficient Sunlight

Passion flowers need a lot of direct sunlight. That is why they are perfect for the south facing side of a trellis or wall. If your trees have leafed fully, or perhaps you put up a shade umbrella, or something else is now obstructing the sun, your flowers may not be getting enough sunlight any more. Because passion flower vines can grow up to 30 feet in one season, perhaps the vine where your flowers are wilting is now in too much shade.

Insufficient Fertilizer

Passion flower vines benefit from an early spring application of fertilizer before they begin to grow again. If your flowers are now wilting and you can't pinpoint what the problem is, fertilize them every four to six weeks through mid-summer in northern climates and early fall in southern climates. In the absence of a soil test, use a low-analysis balanced fertilizer, such as one labeled 6-6-6, and apply amounts recommended on the label, no more. Sprinkle the fertilizer around your plants in an 18-inch radius and water afterward.

Preparing to Fruit

Passion flowers begin to wilt when they're ready to fruit, usually in the spring or early summer. It just may be your plant is finished blooming for now and is ready to fruit. In warm climates like Florida, when passion flowers fade and drop off, more flowers return in a couple months. This can happen several times a year and is quite normal. Note that passion flowers do not usually bloom during the middle of summer when it's too hot.

References

• Washington State University: Blue Passion Flower
• University of Florida; Passionflower Vines; Mike Malloy et al.; March 2009
• University of Florida Extension: The Passion Fruit; R.J. Knight, Jr. et al.

Resources

• Indiana University: Plants in Motion -- Passion Flower