by Elizabeth Shaheen
We used to enjoy in our garden, growing over a large pergola on the north-facing house wall, the most stunning Passiflora “Amethyst”, intermingled with the sumptuously-scented, waxy-white flowers of Stephanotis floribunda.
The latter we still enjoy.
The pergola and, needless to say, the plants, were hurled to the ground by a spring, gail-force-wind and sadly, the passiflora refused to be transplanted.
Last Christmas, whilst holidaying in Hua Hin, Thailand, I enjoyed at breakfast Passiflora edulus “purple granadilla” and saved the seeds.
This April 1 – April Fools’ Day of all days to choose – I prepared the seeds for sowing by placing them in a small cup and poured boiling water over them.
I left them in the water for 24 hours and then sowed them.
Some went into pots of moist potting-compost, which I had prepared the day before, in order to allow the pots to drain well and kept them in a humid environment under plastic.
Others , I sowed directly in the ground, without a plastic covering.
Within 16 days, the seeds in pots had germinated. When the first pair of true leaves developed on each seedling, I transplanted them into the ground in early evening at growing site – first watering the area – against date palm trunks, trelliswork and pillars.
I then inserted in the surrounding soil, four small sticks around each plant, forming a six-inch-square, and placed a large-size freezer bag over the sticks to continue a humid atmosphere.
After 23 days, those sown directly in the garden germinated. So far, all are doing wonderfully well and I shall keep you informed about their progress.
The Passion Flower hails from North America and acquired its name in the 17th century from Spanish priests in South America, because they saw the flower as symbols of Christ’s passion – the period between the Last Supper and his Crucifixion. The corolla, comprising 10 sepals and petals, represents the 10 apostles – save Peter and Judas – and the darker circle (the corona filaments) portrays the halo or crown of thorns.
The five stamens signify the wounds and the three styles, the nails, while the leaves and long green vines personify the hands and whips of Christ’s persecutors.
Thus, the genus gained both its popular name “Passion Flower” and its botanical one.
The passion fruit was cultivated by the Aztecs, Incas and South American Native Indians for thousands of years.
There are thought to be around 400 species, but many are under threat in their natural rainforest habitat.
The passiflora was an in-vogue plant with the Victorians in Britain. It lost its eminence in the early 20th century, but now it has regained its appeal worldwide. Hundreds of hybrids have been named and hybridizing is currently being undertaken extensively for flowers, foliage and fruit.
Passiflora incarnata holds valuable sedative and tranquilising attributes and for centuries, it has been exploited medicinally in Central and North America for treating insomnia, epilepsy and hysteria.
The species name “incarnata” means “made of flesh” or “flesh-coloured”. There may be further medicinal attributes in other species.
The leaves possess anti-inflammatory as well as antispasmodic, hypotensive, sedative and tranquilising properties and form an ingredient in many pharmaceutical commodities to treat nervous disorders.
For instance, heart palpitations, anxiety, convulsions and high blood pressure.
It is also used to prevent spasms from whooping cough, asthma, in Parkinson’s disease, seizures and hysteria.
It can be very valuable in treating nerve pain such as neuralgia and shingles which is a viral infection of the nerves.Preparations include tea, fluid extracts, solid extracts, tinctures and sedative chewing gums.
In the treatment of insomnia, it is usually combined with valerian, hops and Jamaican dogwood.
It is also combined with valerian and hawthorn in products to treat digestive spasms, colitis and gastritis.
Propagation is by seed, cuttings or layering. Take six-inch-long semi-ripe cuttings in late spring or early summer.
In spring or autumn, layering can be achieved by removing the leaves of a small section of a stem and placing it beneath the soil with the leafy terminal end above the ground.
A piece of bent wire is useful in holding the stem in place. Maintain it as such throughout its dormant period, thus allowing it to develop a full root system.
Once strong, healthy new growth has developed and you are satisfied that it is well rooted, sever the cutting from the mother plant and carefully remove the root-ball together with a sufficient amount of soil, to avoid root disturbance. Then, either pot-on or plant out at a growing site.
Passion flowers need a sheltered spot, with their feet in the shade and their heads in full sun to encourage an abundance of flowers and their egg-shaped fruit.
They flourish in any fertile, well-drained soil. If they outgrow their space, they can be hard pruned in early spring, effortlessly making 4.5m of new growth in a season.
Virus
Passifloras are prone to viruses, especially cucumber mosaic virus and red spider mites, whiteflies, mealybugs and scale insects.
My first sighting of the mealybug this year was on April 22, on a rooted hibiscus cutting which I had under plastic.
These I rubbed off between my fingers. But once this fiend gets a hold in the garden, it is truly a tyrant to eliminate.
Put in your mind’s eye an amethyst Passiflora flirting with a delectably scented lilac-pink climbing Bahrain rose.
I promise you that the luxurious blooms of the rose will be flattered by the amethyst tones of the passiflora.
I hope that you will find the Passion Flower as irresistible as I do and grow your own.
You can obtain the fruit from Bahrain’s supermarkets and fruit and vegetable village shops.
Elizabeth Shaheen – GDN – 29 Apr, ’07