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Useful Tropical Plants

Passiflora tarminiana

Coppens & V.E.Barney

Passifloraceae

+ Synonyms

Common Name: Banana Poka

Passiflora tarminiana
Flowering and fruiting plant
Photograph by: Tony Rodd
Creative Commons License
Passiflora tarminiana Passiflora tarminiana Passiflora tarminiana

General Information

Passiflora tarminiana is a climbing plant, sending out vigorous stems 5 - 15 metres long that scramble over the ground and into the surrounding vegetation, attaching themselves by means of tendrils[
1673
Title
Passifloraceae
Publication
Flora Mesoamericana, Volume 3 (2), Passifloraceae, pp 1 - 135
Author
MacDougal J.M.
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
A very popular edible fruit in the tropics and subtropics, where the plant is often cultivated. Probably arising through cultivation, this species is closely related to Passiflora tripartita mollissima and, like that species, is also often cultivated for its edible fruit. Whilst that species is more likely to be cultivated on a commercial scale, this is the species that is more likely to be found in gardens, though it is also being cultivated commercially on an increasing scale because of its vigour and resistance to pests and diseases[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
1673
Title
Passifloraceae
Publication
Flora Mesoamericana, Volume 3 (2), Passifloraceae, pp 1 - 135
Author
MacDougal J.M.
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
 
Description
 

Range

S. America - Colombia.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild location, the plant probably arose in cultivation. Occasionally naturalized at edges of cool montane forests[
1673
Title
Passifloraceae
Publication
Flora Mesoamericana, Volume 3 (2), Passifloraceae, pp 1 - 135
Author
MacDougal J.M.
Publisher
 
Year
2011
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *  *  *
HabitClimber
Height10.00 m
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusCultivated

Cultivation Details

Passiflora tarminiana grows well at elevations between 2,000 - 3,000 metres or even more in the tropics, succeeding at lower elevations as it moves away from the Equator[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Requires a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil and a position in dappled shade where it can grow up towards the sun[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
]. Passiflora species tend to flower and fruit more freely when grown in soils of only moderate fertility[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prefers a circumneutral soil, disliking very acid or very alkaline conditions[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
]. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 4.3 - 8[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
A vigorous and disease-resistant species, it has escaped from cultivation in some areas, particularly New Zealand and Hawaii. It can invade native habitats, smothering areas of native forest, and has been declared a noxious weed in both Hawaii and New Zealand[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant shows more resistance to pests and diseases than the related Passiflora tripartita mollissima[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
This species hybridizes easily with other species in the subgenus Tacsonia[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Hybrids with Passiflora mixta and Passiflora tripartita are fertile and show intermediate phenotypes[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Hybrids with Passiflora cumbalensis can also produce fertile seed[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - eaten raw or used in ice creams, fruit salads, pies, jellies, to make drinks etc[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The yellow, oblong, aromatic fruits are highly prized for their juice[
301
Title
Cornucopia II
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications, California.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-9628087-2-5
Description
The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. The fruit is about 100 - 140mm long and 35 - 45mm wide[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The fruits of this species are a deep yellow to orange colour, the pulp is less aromatic and tart than the flesh of the pale yellow fruits of Passiflora tripartita mollissima, but is also somewhat inferior in flavour[
968
Title
Novon Volume 11
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
Year
2001
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles, mainly involved with naming new plants, but also giving lots of information about each species described. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

The leaves and roots of some, if not all, members of this genus contain a substance called 'passiflorina' which has similaritiesr to morphine and is an effective tranquilizer[
1677
Title
Dicionário das Plantas Úteis do Basil e das Exóticas Cultivadas Vol. 5
Publication
 
Author
Corrêa M. Pio & Penna L. de Azeredo
Publisher
Ministério da Agricultura; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1978
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in six volumes, first published in the 1920's and revised in the 1970's. Written in Portuguese.
]. We have no specific information for this species but many species are used in herbal infusions to calm the nerves and help bring about a restful sleep[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The leaves of many species are also considered to be anthelmintic, antihysteric and diaphoretic. They are used in Brazil to combat intermittent fevers, cutaneous inflammations, and erysipelas[
1677
Title
Dicionário das Plantas Úteis do Basil e das Exóticas Cultivadas Vol. 5
Publication
 
Author
Corrêa M. Pio & Penna L. de Azeredo
Publisher
Ministério da Agricultura; Rio de Janeiro
Year
1978
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work in six volumes, first published in the 1920's and revised in the 1970's. Written in Portuguese.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe along with the pulp which will help break down the seed coat and speed up germination[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
]. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours in warm water and germination time can be reduced if the seed is then mixed with the juice of a fresh passion fruit (of any species)[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
]. Even so, it can take 12 months for stored seed to germinate[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
]. Place the seed tray in a shady position, maintaining a temperature around 19 - 24°c[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
]. Prick the seedlings out into individual containers as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when large enough[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
].
Cuttings of young shoots, taken at the nodes.
Layering. Very easy[
262
Title
Passion Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Vanderplank. J.
Publisher
Cassell. London.
Year
1991
ISBN
0-304-34076-6
Description
An excellent book on passion flowers, giving information on hardy species and how to grow the less hardy in greenhouses etc. A bit lacking at times on specific information on hardyness. Excellent photographs.
].
Air layering.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Passiflora%20tarminiana>

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