These vigorous vines with tropical-looking flowers can be grown in containers and overwintered indoors.
Passionflower is a large genus of plants comprising more than 400 species.
In northern climates, these plants can be treated as annuals or potted and overwintered indoors.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
With flowers available in myriad colors, there’s a passionflower to fit almost any palette.
Along with the varied blossoms you will find, many passionflower species have intriguing foliage.
The leaves tend to be medium green with three lobes.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Some varieties have wing-shaped foliage with a mottled silver pattern.
Colors range from bright green, yellow, and orange to purple.
Where to Plant Passionflower
Select a location in full sun to partial shade.
Credit: Bill Stites
Passionflower needs well-drained soil that can be slightly acidic to neutral.
Give them something to climb onto, such as a wall, fence, or trellis.
Dig a hole that is about 1.5 times as wide as the root ball and about as deep.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Set the plant in the hole and backfill it with original soil.
Water and keep the plant well-watered in the absence of rain.
Space the plants 5 to 6 feet apart.
Credit: Nancy Rotenberg
To overwinter potted passionflowers indoors, place them in a spot with bright, indirect light.
Mulching around the base helps to conserve soil moisture.
Passionflower does best in moderate to high relative humidity above 60 percent.
Credit: Scott Little
Other than that, remove spent flowers and dead or broken stems and dry foliage during the growing season.
Keep in mind that potted plants need more frequent watering and fertilization than plants in garden soil.
Pests and Problems
Potential pests includescale insects, spider mites, and whiteflies.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Root rot is the most common disease in poorly draining soil or overwatered plants.
Another potential disease is leaf spot.
If it persists after removing the diseased leaves, apply a fungicide.
Credit: Andy Lyons
How to Propagate Passionflower
The easiest and fastest way to propagate passionflower is from softwood cuttings.
Dip the cut end in rooting hormone.
Fill a small pot with damp potting mix and make a hole with a pencil.
Credit: Ed Gohlich
Insert the cutting in the hole about 1 inch deep.
Place the pot in a location away from direct sunlight and keep it evenly moist.
It grows about 10 feet or more.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
In mild-winter climates, it can climb 30 feet or more.
Zone 7-10
‘Elizabeth’ Passionflower
This hybrid is a stunning variety with fragrant 5-inch-wide lavender-purple flowers.
It can climb 10 feet or more.
Zone 10-11
Passiflora alatocaerulea
This is one of the most widely grown passionflower vines.
It has fragrant, 5-inch-wide flowers on a fast-growing vine that can climb 15 feet or more.
Zone 10-11
‘Maypop’ Passionflower
Passiflora incarnatais native to the southeastern United States.
It bears 3-inch-wide lavender flowers all summer and into fall.
It climbs 10 feet or more.
It sports blood-red flowers with a white center and climbs 15 feet or more.
Passiflora citrina
This passionflower species, which is native to Central America, is an everblooming species.
It has yellow trumpet-shaped blooms on wing-shaped velvety leaves.
Zone 10-11
Perfumed Passionflower
Passiflora vitifoliais a red passionflower species native to southern Central America.
It produces amazing 6-inch-wide crimson-red flowers from summer to fall outdoors and all year indoors.
It can climb 20 feet or more.
This hybrid is a tetraploid selection with lots of vigor and fragrant flowers.
It climbs to 20 feet or more.
Zone 8-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, passionflower attracts butterflies.
Yes, the plants can grow 15 to 20 feet in a single season.
see to it they have a sturdy lattice or other structure to climb.
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Passion flower.
UF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions.
Accessed August 2, 2024. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/passion-flower/.
