In article , "Rev \"Fragile Warrior\"
Volfie" wrote:
"Ben" wrote in message
oups.com...
I deadhead. I leave a cutting in a southfacing basement window all
winter. It doesn't grow very much but it survives OK.
Ben
Kingston Ontario
I finally found a good reference to the Passion Flower in a herb book last
night (I had no idea that's where I should look for it -- duh!) and it said
it actually grows a fruit. Have you ever tried it? The book said it was
rather tasty.
The red passion flower is a "patio tropical" that will not set fruit &
should be kept very warm to thrive. They don't need deadheading at least &
can be practically everblooming.
The yellow egg-sized fruits of Purple Passion Vine (the one most commonly
grown outdoors in gardens) are mostly hollow but do have a big hump of
blood-red pulp & seeds inside. "Pop" the balloon open & you'll know
why they're called Maypops, then suck out the pulp, don't chew because the
seeds don't add anything positive to the flavor, but give the pulp a good
tongue-mushing. I find it extremely tasty & when the vines are full of
maypops I eat them daily while in the garden. But my sweety finds them
seedy & uninteresting. I have also occasionally used the yellow skins like
green tomatoes & fried them in olive oil with onions & sweet bell peppers
for a home-made relish.
Also, have you ever tried wintering the vine outside? The book said it has
to be mulched well to survive but, wow, it doesn't seem to me that such a
delicate flowering vine could survive to -20F. You're closer to where I
used to live (Niagara Falls) and I would think it *might* survive there but
here, on a hill in the middle of Indiana, I have my doubts.
Although the subtropical Purple Passionflower thrives outside even in
temperate Zone 8, our winters only rarely & briefly get down to 20 degrees
F. & the vine can stand it. but even this hardy species would die at
temperatures your zone experiences. Your red one is fully tropical would
die outside even in my comparatively mild zone.
-paghat the ratgirl
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