Passiflora 'Incense'

[Ann B.]

It's a little finicky, but I think I have finally mastered this one which amazingly is said to be hardy to zone 6.

Passiflora 'Incense' has HUGE blooms!

[Ann B.]

She has a BABY! I couldn't believe my eyes.

I have been watching and watching and hoping, but since the bees are stripping the pollen constantly, I haven't tried to hand pollinate.

But here it is, and even though the picture is not clear, it is obvoiusly a fruit. It is about the size of a dime. I can't wait to see if it contains seeds, but they seem to take forever.

Here is the baby....

[Ann B.]

And unless the bee managed to carry the pollen a long way to the Mama Incense, I suspect that these are the parents.

[Ann B.]

I know that time is going past quickly for me, but still, I am in awe that this fruit is growing so fast. It is more round than the ones I have seen before and it as segments.

Still watching and hoping it doesn't fall prematurely...

[Dazed_Lily]

This one is postively abstract art ! Unbelievable !

[Ann B.]

Aren't they spectacular? Now, you know why I fell for them.

I used to have more varieties, but lost several not so hardy ones in the transition to teaching phase. I hope to one day get starts of my favorites of the others when life settles down a bit more.

[Ann B.]

The fruit is starting to turn a little yellow on one side. It also seems to be getting a little smaller (shrinking). It's too soon to tell if there will be any fruit or seeds in it.

I have really enjoyed having the Incense vining with the Lady Margaret. They seem to like it also.

Incense actually threw up a 'may pop' right in the middle of the walkway. I watched it for a few days and hoped that no one would step on it. I was lucky. No one did, so I watered the area really well and grabbed the shovel. Sure enough, there was a big root near the surface.

I plunged the root into a small container of water along with another one that has been in water for a few weeks. I think the other one is an Incarnata, but because of where I found it, it could possibly be a seedling. It's too hard to tell, so I am labeling it as question mark.

While I was at Home Depot, I priced the material for an arbor extension on the porch. I guess it would sort of be like a pergula. That's what I have in mind, anyway. It would provide a breezy area with shading from the vines and would let rain water inside. It would be a great place to grow my passifloras (at least 4 of them) along with a Thunbergia Grandiflora. I wish you all could see these beauties in bloom. I've always enjoyed this time of the year because I have somehow actually managed to have late summer blooms (hey, it's late summer here and will be for another month, at least).

[Ann B.]

I just went outside to check on P. Amythest which just started blooming again a couple of weeks ago. It tends to bloom in the spring and late summer, early fall.

I couldn't believe my eyes! 4 fruits, bee pollinated, but at least I know what is in bloom at the same time. Yep! One of 4 other types of passiflora.

It's no wonder that I quickly fell in love with these vines. This time of the year, they are blooming like crazy.

We'll see if they are empty fruits or what.... I THINK and HOPE that they have time to ripen before our first frost. These are in the ground.

[Ann B.]

I tried to post this picture earlier, but my internet service went down for about the 100th time today...

P. Amythesist fruits:

[shakkai]

Ann, How easy are these to grow from seed? How long does it take to get a mature flowering size plant from seed? I agree they are just stunning! A friend of mine, about 5 minutes away from me, grows one of the 'regular' purple and white ones, and it covers an entire arch, and has tons of flowers and fruit. The seed catalogues are just starting to come in the post, and I see they are offering P. alata, P. incarnata, and a collection of species of different types. No named varieties (obviously) from seed. Are these worth getting then?

Shannan

[John_NY]

Shannan- Look at my post, "Passionfruit", of a couple of months ago. (It's on this page) It will answer some of your questions.

John

[Ann B.]

Here ya go...

http://www.landspro.com/forums/showthread.php3?postid=19158#post19158

[Ann B.]

Thanks, John!

Here is another one... I remember this, and it was so much FUN!

http://www.landspro.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=1727&highlight=Passiflora+seeds

[Ann B.]

I looked and looked for it, but I couldn't find it.

Still, I couldn't imagine the squirrels eating it, nor could I imagine it being ripe enough for the birds to eat it.

Finally, I found it. It had fallen before completely changing colors. I opened it and found only 4 ripened seed enclosed in a yellow pulp.

So, I get another chance! 4 seeds is 4 seeds. Hopefully, at least 2 of them will germinate.

Wish me luck! I'm not sure the newer Incense fruit will have a chance to ripen before frost because the temps are gradually getting cooler This one fell off 2 months after I first spotted it, and I have 2 more months before frost.

Also, the Amethyst may just barely have time to make it. We'll see.

In the meantime, did I say I was thrilled to finally find the fruit and it actually had 4 seeds?!?!?!

[Dazed_Lily]

Glad you found it before the squirrels. Those squirrels observe a variation on the 5 second rule. 5 seconds on the ground and it's up for grabs !

[Ann B.]

I found another fruit, and I think it is on Incense, but I am not sure because it is more oblong and an outer seed coat similar to Incense.

The problem is that the little brown catipillars ate about 1/3rd of the skin coat. I'm not sure the pod is going to make it, and I'm also at a loss as to how to keep it from aborting. Perhaps bees wax that has cooled a little.

Oh, well.... I'm not sure it is worth the effort, but one has to wonder 'what if it could be a wonderful new hybrid?"

I guess I'll just leave it alone and let nature take its course. I did knock off the catipillars. They have plenty of leaves to eat.

[sue salley]

Ann, Bees wax might work. If you see another pod I would try covering it with a brown paper bag. But then the squirrels migtht think it is takeout. The seed pod from my mayapple disappeared about the time it was ripe. I suspect the furry tailed rats got it. too. They can sure be a nuisance.

[Ann B.]

I noticed this evening that this particular fruit is beyond repair. There is an opening and I saw a sugar ant crawl inside.

Now, I have spotted another fruit, just a little smaller and the catipillars have started eating the out coat on that one also. It is possible that these are actually fruit on the Lady Margaret. It's hard to tell because the leaves of the vines have been eaten so badly by the crawly critters.

The squirrels are busy eating the pecans. I actually have a few, but I doubt there will be any left to ripen after the critters are finished. They tend to eat them when they are still green or bury them, so I have baby pecans growing where I don't want them!

Still, it is nice to know that my passifloras are getting big and healthy enough to produce fruit. Now, the trick is to get more of the ones in the ground to produce fruit.

I have so much to learn...

[Ann B.]

I doubt this one will make it....

[Ann B.]

The second Incense fruit dropped prematurely. It was empty of seeds.

The Amethyst is still hanging on.

The ones knawed by the cats dropped also.

The majority of the leaves on Incense, Ceaurela (spell) and Lady Margeret have been consumed by the cats. I still have lots of blooms on the red one (not so much effected by the cats).

Oh, gee! I need to look up the spelling on these again. It's been a busy day, but a good one.

[Ann B.]

The Amethyst pods started having an orange tinge, so I harvested them before the cats could eat any more of the pods.

One pod had ten seeds and the other had eleven. I have the seeds soaking in water and will try to get the rest of the pulp off tonight or tomorrow.

The Incense seeds haven't sprouted, yet, but they look okay. I think that only 3 are potentially viable. The fourth is so flat that I can't imagine it having an embryo inside.

Wish me luck!