Passiflora tripartita mollissima
(Kunth) Holm-Niels. & P.M.Jorg.
Passifloraceae
Murucuja mollissima Spreng.
Passiflora mollissima (Kunth) L.H.Bailey.
Tacsonia mollissima Kunth
Common Name: Banana Passionfruit
General Information
Banana passionfruit is an evergreen, climbing shrub producing stems up to 5 metres long. These stems scramble over the ground or clamber into the surrounding vegetation, supporting themselves by means of coiling tendrils[
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.
].
The plant is widely cultivated in many areas of the world for its edible fruit[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
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.
] and is also commonly grown as an ornamental[
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.
]..
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
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.
Range
Western S. America - Andes.
Habitat
Found at elevations between 2,000 - 3,200 metres[
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.
].
Properties
Weed Potential | Yes |
Edibility Rating |     |
Habit | Evergreen Climber |
Height | 5.00 m |
Pollinators | Insects |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a cooler, less humid atmosphere than most other members of the genus, growing well at moderate elevations, generally above 1,000 metres in the tropics, and at lower elevations in the subtropics and warm temperate zones[
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.
]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 18°c, but can tolerate 8 - 30°c[
]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -5°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -2°c[
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,300 - 1,700mm, but tolerates 700 - 2,300mm[
].
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[
].
Plants have escaped from cultivation in several areas of the world[
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.
], and the plant has been declared a noxious weed in America. Many of these reports refer to the related, but more vigorous Passiflora tarminiana[
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 starts fruiting after about 2 years from seed[
].
Well managed plants can produce 300 - 400 fruits per year, equivalent to 30 - 47 tonnes per hectare[
]..
Plants are very tolerant of pruning and can be cut back to ground level if required to rejuvenate the plant[
202- Title
- Climbers and Wall Shrubs.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Davis. B.
- Publisher
- Viking.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-670-82929-3
- Description
- Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[
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.
].
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 70mm long and 35mm wide[
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.
].
The fruits of this species are a pale yellow colour, the pulp is more aromatic and tart and has a somewhat superior flavour to the flesh of the deep yellow to orange fruits of Passiflora tarminiana[
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
None known
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 - 24c[
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.
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