Common Name: Yellow Granadilla

General Information

Yellow granadilla is a tall, evergreen climbing shrub producing stems up to 15 metres long. These stems can scramble over the ground or clamber into other plants, supporting themselves by means of coiling tendrils[].
The edible fruit is greatly appreciated, it is mainly gathered from the wild and consumed locally[]. The plant is widely cultivated, both as an ornamental and sometimes for its edible fruit[].

Known Hazards

The leaves are said to be poisonous[].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Guyanas to the Caribbean.

Habitat

Climbing into trees and shrubs in tropical rainforests[]. Thickets and forest borders[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the hot, wet, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 500 metres[, ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 12 - 36°c[]. The plant is not tolerant of frost[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 1,000 - 4,000mm[].
Requires a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil and a position in dappled shade[]. Passiflora species tend to flower and fruit more freely when grown in soils of only moderate fertility[]. Prefers a circumneutral soil, disliking very acid or very alkaline conditions[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 5 - 7[].
Plants produce tendrils and climb by attaching these to other plants.
Plants are very tolerant of pruning and can be cut back to ground level if required to rejuvenate the plant[]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or made into a refreshing drink[, ]. The orange-yellow fruits have a fragrant, juicy, agreeably subacid pulp[]. The fruit is sometimes eaten by making a hole in one end and sucking out the pulp and seeds[]. The fruit is rich in vitamin C[]. The ovoid fruit is about 8cm x 4cm[].

Medicinal

The content of the glycoside passiflorin can produce weak narcotic effects[]. (I believe this is found mainly in the leaves or roots[].)


A cold, salted decoction of the root is said to be an effective vermifuge[].

An infusion of the stems and leaves is used as a children's vermifuge[].

The leaves are vermifuge[]. The powdered leaves are bitter and considered to be an anthelmintic[].
A poultice of the leaves is used for dressing syphilitic ulcers[].

The green fruit contains acetone and a cyanogenic heteroside which disappears upon maturity of the fruit[].

Other Uses

Sometimes used as a rootstock for P. edulis because it is less susceptible to soil borne disease[].

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[]. 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)[]. Even so, it can take 12 months for stored seed to germinate[]. Place the seed tray in a shady position, maintaining a temperature around 19 - 24c[]. Prick the seedlings out into individual containers as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when large enough[].
Cuttings of young shoots, taken at the nodes. The cuttings root best in a neutral to slightly acid compost, but 100% sharp sand also produces good results[].
Cuttings of fully mature wood taken at a node. They can take 3 months, but there is usually a high percentage[].
Layering. Very easy[].
Air layering.

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