(Hybrid Passionflower)

Dusky and richly colored, this flowering tropical vine, ‘Lavender Lady,’ sports some of the most exotic blossom architecture in the world. It is a complex hybrid between two South American species, the purple Passiflora amethystina and the blue passionflower, Passiflora caerulea. An evergreen, it features dark-green, lobed leaves arranged alternately on its thin, ridged stems, which are fast-growing and lengthy and climb by tendrils produced in the leaf axils (joint between the...

(Red Passionflower)

Red passion flower is a perennial vine native to northwestern South America. It is evergreen in frost free locations and deciduous in colder locations. Dark green, simple, oval to oblong leaves have double-toothed margins and are arranged alternately on the stem. The vines climb by tendrils produced in the leaf axils (joint between the leaves and stems) on round, angled branches covered with red hairs. Beautiful flowers appear summer through fall. The complex, fragrant, bowl-shaped flowers are composed...

(Edible-fruited Passionflower, Passionfruit)

Passionfruit is an evergreen, perennial vine native to southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. It is the source of commercial passionfruit fruit for juice, jams and the fresh market. Plantations for the large, vigorous, productive vines exist throughout tropical and subtropical regions worldwide including Brazil, Columbia, Australia and Hawaii. There are several different forms that differ in fruit qualities. These include the yellow-fruited f. flavicarpa and sweet-fruited f. edulis....

(Edible-fruited Passionflower, Passionfruit)

Passionfruit is an evergreen, perennial vine native to southern Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. It is the vine which produces the commercial fruit for the fresh market, juice, jams, and flavoring. Dark green, glossy, finely-toothed, lobed leaves are arranged alternately on angular stems. The vines climb by tendrils produced in the leaf axils (joint between the leaves and stems). Beautiful flowers appear most abundantly in the summer, but a few will pop-up year ‘round in warm climates. The complex...

(Edible-fruited Passionflower, Passionfruit)

Yellow passionfruit is a popular evergreen, perennial vine that produces loads of sweet, juicy, yellow-skinned fruits. South American in origin, it produces commercial fruit for juice, jams and the fresh market. The largest plantations exist in Brazil, Columbia, Australia and Hawaii. In addition to being yellow, the fruits of f. flavicarpa are larger than those of f. edulis but are said to be a bit less flavorful.

The dark green, glossy, lobed leaves of this passionfruit are...

(Jameson's Passionflower)

This rare and exotic coral pink passionflower is a tropical climber that thrives in frost free regions. Like all of its kind, the species is native to South America, namely the jungles of Ecuador where it is now quite scarce in the wild. This plant is often sold as Coral Seas in the nursery trade. They are generally evergreen perennials, bearing lobed leaves and are arranged alternately on the stem. The vines can become very large and climb by tendrils produced in the leaf axils (joint between the...

(Giant Granadilla)

This spectacular, large-fruited woody vine is native to both South America and the West Indies, although its origin is debated because it was cultivated so early and may have traveled somewhat as cultures discovered its crop. In any case, this is a tropical climber that may survive colder conditions where it will die back to the ground and recover from the roots. The plants are evergreen, sprouting into long stems that root as they touch ground, with the potential to be somewhat invasive. The leaves...

(Perfumed Passionflower)

Perfumed or grape-leaf passion flower is a perennial vine native to south Central America and northern South America. It is evergreen in frost free locations and deciduous in colder locations. Dark green, glossy, lobed, leave have toothed margins and are arranged alternately on the stem. The vines climb by tendrils produced in the leaf axils (joint between the leaves and stems) on round branches covered with red-brown hairs. Beautiful flowers appear spring and summer through fall. The complex, fragrant,...

(Perfumed Passionflower, Scarlet Flame Perfumed Passionflower)

Perfumed or grape-leaf passion flower is a perennial vine native to southern Central America and northern South America. It is evergreen in frost free locations and deciduous in colder locations. Dark green, glossy, lobed, leave have toothed margins and are arranged alternately on the stem. The vines climb by tendrils produced in the leaf axils (joint between the leaves and stems) on round branches covered with red-brown hairs. Beautiful flowers appear spring and summer through fall. The complex,...

(Devil's Backbone, Japanese Poinsettia)

Easily recognized by its rubbery, slightly zig-zagging stems, devil's backbone has pretty foliage and reddish flowers in summertime. A tender succulent perennial shrub that has an irritating milky sap, it is native to tropical America from Florida to northern South America.

Its light to medium green leaves are perfectly tapered ovals, slightly glossy and flank the zigzag stems to resemble a crooked backbone with ribs. Although flowering in flushes year round in warm tropical regions, it occurs...