• Varieties and General requirements
• Propagation
• Site Preparation
• Vine Management
• Fruit
• Diseases
• Pests

Of the two varieties grown here, only one is commercially significant - the purple passionfruit. The information in this HortFACT is consequently directed largely at the purple passionfruit.

VARIETIES

Purple passionfruit:

Purple passionfruit flower. The purple passionfruit is the only variety of commercial significance

The purple passionfruit, Passiflora edulis, is a semi-woody perennial vine that is native to Brazil in South America. In suitable conditions it is a rampant grower, using tendrils to assist in its climbing habit. The leaves are green and three lobed. The flowers are large whitish petals, five well developed stamens, and a large tripartite style in the centre. Some of the early Spanish travellers saw a resemblance in the flowers to the crucifixion, and this gave rise to the name passionfruit.

The fruit is round to oval, 4-6 cm in diameter, and a deep purple colour when ripe. Inside it is a mass of small black seeds each enclosed in a yellow juicy pulp, which is quite aromatic and has a slightly acid by distinctive flavour. The pulp is surrounded by a hard, leathery rind, which is initially green in colour, turning to deep purple when ripe. The surface of the skin is however somewhat delicate, and is easily scratched if roughly handled.

The so-called ‘mammoth’ types of the purple passionfruit are large, but often only incompletely filled with pulp. For that reason, good lines of seedlings are recommended for commercial planting’s in New Zealand.

Commercial planting’s of passionfruit in New Zealand began in KeriKeri in 1927 and later extended to Auckland and Tauranga. Until the mid 1930s cultivation was relatively easy, but since then the higher incidence of disease has made production more difficult, reducing yields and increasing costs.

In the early 1980s more than half of New Zealand’s passionfruit production came from Opotiki in the eastern Bay of Plenty, where it was used as a cash crop by growers developing kiwifruit orchards. Now most of the commercial orchards are still in the Bay of Plenty, with the two major centres being Opotiki and Katikati, but other areas suitable for passionfruit can be found where suitable soils are combined with a relatively frost-free climate-such as in parts of Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, Horowhenua, and even Golden Bay at the northern end of the South Island.

Banana Passionfruit:

Another variety, the banana passionfruit, has been known in home gardens here for many years. In the past, the occasional efforts to cultivate it commercially have proved uneconomic.

Banana passionfruit have elongated yellow fruit, somewhat resembling a banana in shape, but usually 5-10 cm long. In most countries Passiflora mollissima is considered to be the banana passionfruit, but in fact a range of species, previously put in the genus Tasconia, all have fruit with this characteristic.

The genus Tasconia has now been changed to that of Passiflora, and in New Zealand, species, or hybrids between them, that could be described as banana passionfruit include Passiflora mollissima, Passiflora mixta, Passiflora pinnatistipula, and Passiflora antioquiensis.

Banana passionfruit flower. The fruit of this variety is inferior to that of the purple passionfruit.

In the Auckland region what is commonly known as Passiflora mollissima is almost certainly a hybrid between that species and Passiflora mixta.

These banana passionfruit originated in South America along with other passionfruit species. They are used there as fresh fruit and for commercial flavourings.

The banana passionfruit is generally more frost resistant and hardier than the purple passionfruit. It also has a large degree of resistance to the bacterial and fungal diseases that are so devastating and costly to control in purple passionfruit.

However, the banana passionfruit is of inferior eating quality, lacking the rich flavour of its purple relative.

Small quantities are marketed each year, some from plants growing in a semi-wild state. It is possible some use may be found for this fruit in processing, but the economics of such a venture are likely to be marginal.

Banana passionfruit can be picked from the vine, rather than from the ground, and the calyx and pedicel left on the vine. The skin of the fruit is thin, and marks readily. Fruit also squash easily if held for any length of time in bulk containers.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Passionfruit vines need warm moist conditions to thrive. Commercial passionfruit production is therefore possible only in relatively frost-free locations. In New Zealand these are found mainly in the northern North Island.

Frost:
The vines tolerate only slight frosts of minus 1-2°C, and only for short periods. More severe frosts kill growing shoots and cause severe fruit damage and fruit drop. Stems of mature plants can be split by frost, leading to death of the entire plant. In Opotiki in 1983 air frosts which reached -3°C severely set bach many of the vines, and caused a significant loss of yield.

A severely frosted passionfruit

It used to be common practice to protect the stems, trunks, and main leaders of the plant with bracken fern each winter. This has not always been carried out in recent times, and significant crop losses have occurred.

In general, keeping a well defined weed-free strip under the vines, and keeping the grass sward between the rows well mown through the winter, assists in minimising the risk of frost damage. These practices would not, however, prevent damage in a severe frost.

Site:
Good shelter and an aspect which provides the warmest possible conditions are the most important factors in choosing a site for planting. Choose gentle north- or east-facing slopes which are sufficiently elevated to avoid damaging frosts and can be sheltered from cold or strong prevailing winds.

A well laid out and well maintained block of passionfruit vines.

Soils:
Passionfruit vines will grow on a wide range of soils, but good drainage and aeration are essential. A deep, well drained, friable sandy loam is best. Heavy clay soils are unsuitable.

On poorly drained soils the vines become susceptible to root disease, which can rapidly kill the plants.

Where natural drainage is inadequate a suitable drainage system should be installed before planting. Local advice should always be sought before laying a drainage system.

Shelter:
Shelter belts are essential and should be established before planting, so that the vines can be protected from strong, cold prevailing winds.

Passionfruit Culture (more chapters)
Varieties | Propagation | Site Preparation | Vine Management | Fruit | Diseases | Pests

Many of the basics of passionfruit culture have remained unchanged for years. The last bulletin on this subject published in New Zealand was Passionfruit Growing (New Zealand Department of Agriculture Bulletin 135, written by the late W. A. Fletcher in 1952, and subsequently revised and reprinted several times between then and 1973).

The old bulletin served as a useful reference for many years. Over time, however, there have been developments in passionfruit culture, and it has been timely to bring the basic New Zealand reference up to date with the publishing of this booklet.

I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Graham Alexander, a former horticulture advisory officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries at Whakatane, who was associated with me in bringing together some of the latest aspects of passionfruit in the preparation of this text, which was initially published as three separate AgLink leaflets in 1986.

In addition, I would like to thank Wrightson’s Horticulture for their support and contribution towards the underwriting of the publication.