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Propagation of Passiflora foetida by cuttings and seeds

Passiflora foetida has intricate sticky bracts around its buds, flowers, and fruits. It can definitely trap insects there, but whether it fits the standard definitions of carnivory is dubious. Some claim yes, but it seems that the consensus at the moment is that Passiflora foetida is not carnivorous. Still, it's a a cool plant and should be of interest to a lot of people.

I don't have a good photo of the sticky bracts, but here is the result of a google search. They are very cool!:

https://www.google.com/search?q=pas...TcoATu7oDIBw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1303&bih=588

I have a plant growing of Passiflora foetida. I decided to take cuttings of that as well as sow more seeds of that and another variety of P. foetida.

The variety of P foetida I have was started earlier this year, and did not bloom for me (25 miles S. of San Francisco). A seedling did bloom for a friend in Palo Alto, but unfortunaltey she did not take a picture. This plant came from seeds from a source in Mexico and was identified as P. foetida from Oaxaca. There are many different varieties of P. foetida, and many think it is better described as several different species.

The other variety I have seeds of is Passiflora foetida 'Belem'. I know who donated the seeds to the Passiflora Society International seed bank, he's from Georgia. I believe this variety has particularly nice flowers, is self-fertile, and makes smeall, good-tasting fruit.

A big problem for me is that I may not have enough sun in my tiny yard to get flowers/fruit from these plants. The temperatures here may be borderline for these plants. I've heard that chilly San Francisco is simply too cold for P. foetida. We are a little warmer, but still get chilly summer nights. Average temperatures in summer here are 75/55.

So if I get a surplus of plants from these propagation attempts I may be interested in trades or possibly send something for postage. I'm mainly looking for Nepenthes at this point: plants, seedlings, cuttings (rooted or unrooted). My impression is that people tend to be a little shy about propagating their Nepenthes. That's a different problem...

Anyway, I took a cutting of the Passiflora foetida from Oaxaca that I had grown from seed earlier this year. I particularly like the shape and glossiness of the leaves:



I cut them up into smaller cuttings and am attempting to root them in water. If that fails, I'll try more in perlite.






And here are the seeds: P. foetida from the PSI (Passiflora Society International) seedbank, and seeds of P. foetida from Oaxaca, Mexico. I'm soaking them in water for a day, then I'll plant them in microwaved 50:50 peat/perlite:

 
pretty cool. I had a cutting rooting well (not sure what variety of P. foetida.) and then I got insanely busy and forgot to water the poor thing. I do like passiflora. Currently have a P. alata 'ruby glow' that has vined quite a bit, but has not yet flowered for me (growing indoors, I think it needs more light...). Very nondescript leaf-shaped leaves on that one.
 
One thing to emphasize about Passiflora foetida is that it can be sown from seed, bloom and fruit, all within a year. It is not an annual (there is only one true annual Paasiflora, P. gracilis), but it can be grown as an annual. This is very unusual as Passifloras go.

I have not grown 'Ruby Glow', which is considered a species these day, Passiflora phoenicia, but I do grow the related hybrid Passiflora 'Preciosa' (P. macrocarpa x P. alata). Grassy Knoll Exotics, my source of this plant, claims: "Preciosa is much easier to grow and flower than Passiflora phoencia or P. alata.". I don't know the story behind this statement, but Elizabeth, the owner of Grassy Knoll, is pretty blunt and honest. So I would be inclined to believe it. I need to propagate this plant more--it's pretty easy. My plant bloomed wonderfully it's 2nd year, in a pot, with incredible, fragrant flowers. I got a blast of scent, when I opened my door, 20 feet away from the plant. Wow. And I was able to get huge fruit by cross pollination with several species/hybrids. A friend's plant bloomed the first year from a rooted cutting I gave her. A couple of the flowers on my plant:



There are species closely related to P. foetida with the sticky bracts. There are many, many other Passifloras without. Some personal favorites: P. loefgrenii, P. sanguinolenta, P. 'Manta', P. 'Mission Dolores'.

Dragoness, in Michigan, with summers that are not too hot, you might be able to swing something like 'Mission Dolores'. You'd probably need to grow it in a greenhouse plus outdoors when frost-free. It has 7 inch flowers and peduncles up to 2 feet. And tasty fruit. I've seen it bloom in a 1 gallon pot (but grown in the perfect San Francisco climate...). Below is a vine from the garden of the hybridizer, in the 'Mission Dolores' neighborhood of San Francisco.

 
This version of foetida grows in my area. All over, spread by birds I believe. I have sent them out here and there, a few folks have said they spreading with them as well. Smallish lavender flowers, about an inch and a half across. Bright red seed pods that are very light. Tasty and edible but not much there. You would need many for a snack...they will ramble and can get pretty large.
 
My little plant, which started out as a cutting not too long ago, is happily growing now, indoors (despite the dryness). I can't wait for spring, when I can put it outdoors. Only 4-5 more months! (Ugh!)
 
The cuttings have started rooting. 4 have roots (the 4 on the left), 2 do not have roots, 2 have died. I potted up the rooted ones, eventually I'll figure out what to do with them. No seedlings yet.

 
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