Native & adapted

Passion fruit

Passiflora edulis

Also known as Passionfruit · Purple granadilla · Maracuyá · Lilikoi · Chanh dây

A fast, vigorous vine with spectacular flowers and tangy, aromatic fruit. Give it a sturdy fence or trellis and afternoon shade for the first summer.

EdibleFruitingClimbingPollinatorFast growing

Landscape layersClimbing

Mature size

Vine 15–25 ft long on a trellis or fence

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b

Plant spacing

10 ft between vines

Frost

Purple types handle brief dips to about 28°F; yellow types are damaged near 32°F.

Special categories

EDIBLE · POLLINATOR ATTRACTING

Hardiness guidance

USDA 9b–11; purple types damaged below about 28°F, yellow types near 32°F

Winter chill

None

Typical harvest

Main crops in summer and fall. Fruit is ripe when it falls or wrinkles slightly.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Soil chemistry

Fast-draining soil rich in compost. Phoenix soil is alkaline, so work in soil sulfur and organic matter and use chelated iron if new leaves turn yellow between the veins.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

Sturdy fence, arbor or trellis with frost protection; an east or south wall is ideal.

Cold hardiness

Cover in a hard freeze below 32°F

Mature vines take a few degrees below 32°F with some leaf loss, but the mid-20s can kill the whole vine, sometimes without resprouting. Purple types are the more cold tolerant; wrap the base of the vine whenever a hard freeze is forecast.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 32°F

Heat tolerance

Shade from late-afternoon sun

Grows best between about 65 and 90°F, so Phoenix summers slow it down. Full sun is OK on a trellis, but afternoon shade helps, and fallen fruit sunburns if not picked up.

Sources:

ask.ifas.ufl.edu , growables.org

Right plant, right place

Will Passion fruit grow at your Arizona property?

Lives about 5 to 7 years. Gulf fritillary caterpillars feed on the leaves; plants usually outgrow the damage.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Afternoon shade the first summer, then it climbs into full sun.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate to high in summer. Water deeply twice a week; less in winter.

Fruit set

Pollination

Purple types are mostly self-fertile. Yellow types need a second plant. Carpenter bees are the main pollinators; hand pollinating helps.

Harvest

How to use it

Scoop the pulp for juice, desserts, sauces and drinks.

Planting & stewardship

How to help Passion fruit thrive

1
Train the vine along wires or a trellis and thin it each spring.
2
Feed every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season.
3
Pick up fallen fruit daily.
4
Cover the base and lower vine on frost nights.

Read the horticultural reference ↗