Passion flower vine - Ask Extension
I just purchased this vine today. It is in a 2 gallon container on a trellis. Please tell me where and how to plant this vine. Full sun? Plant in grou...
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Passion flower vine #136882
Asked June 26, 2013, 12:54 AM EDT
I just purchased this vine today. It is in a 2 gallon container on a trellis. Please tell me where and how to plant this vine. Full sun? Plant in ground or container?
Does it have any pests? I live 30 miles north of Dallas.
Thanks for your help. I will wait to hear from you before taking any action.
Ann
Does it have any pests? I live 30 miles north of Dallas.
Thanks for your help. I will wait to hear from you before taking any action.
Ann
Denton County Texas
Expert Response
Before I identify an appropriate expert to respond to your question, it would be good if you could attach a picture or two to this question.
Never mind--I just realized that you described what you had in the subject of your message. I will find someone who can help answer this question.
Hi Ann,
That is a great plant! The passionvine is a Texas native and will do just great in the ground here. It will die back to the ground in the winter, but the roots should remain alive and it will come back next spring. It does prefer support, so planting it near a fence or trellis would be ideal. It can grow quite large, maybe even 30 feet in a season, depending on the variety. It can be planted in full sun, but might like some shade from the late afternoon sun.
It does have a pest, depending on how you look at it. It is the favorite food of a few Texas butterfly larvae. They can eat a lot and can eat most of the leaves off of your vine. Rather than using a pesticide to kill all of the larvae, we recommend that you selectively pick off a few and leave a few. Here's more information on that:
"Among these butterflies are the Zebra, the Julia, and the Gulf Fritillary. Some compounds found in the passion vine are toxic; ingesting them makes the larvae and butterflies toxic to predators. Unfortunately, Heliconius larvae are voracious eaters, and can defoliate a passion vine quickly. While the caterpillars are easily eradicated with commercial pesticides, try selectively reducing their numbers by physically relocating them first. This way, you are still likely to see some extra butterflies later in the season, and you will not impact any beneficial species. In fact, some gardeners grow passion vine primarily to attract butterflies to their gardens."
That excerpt is from this article that you might find helpful: http://www.texasgardener.com/pastissues/marapr00/passion.html
Please let me know if you have further questions. I hope you enjoy your passionvine and the wonderful butterflies it attracts. Contact our office with any other questions: <personal data hidden>.
-Janet
That is a great plant! The passionvine is a Texas native and will do just great in the ground here. It will die back to the ground in the winter, but the roots should remain alive and it will come back next spring. It does prefer support, so planting it near a fence or trellis would be ideal. It can grow quite large, maybe even 30 feet in a season, depending on the variety. It can be planted in full sun, but might like some shade from the late afternoon sun.
It does have a pest, depending on how you look at it. It is the favorite food of a few Texas butterfly larvae. They can eat a lot and can eat most of the leaves off of your vine. Rather than using a pesticide to kill all of the larvae, we recommend that you selectively pick off a few and leave a few. Here's more information on that:
"Among these butterflies are the Zebra, the Julia, and the Gulf Fritillary. Some compounds found in the passion vine are toxic; ingesting them makes the larvae and butterflies toxic to predators. Unfortunately, Heliconius larvae are voracious eaters, and can defoliate a passion vine quickly. While the caterpillars are easily eradicated with commercial pesticides, try selectively reducing their numbers by physically relocating them first. This way, you are still likely to see some extra butterflies later in the season, and you will not impact any beneficial species. In fact, some gardeners grow passion vine primarily to attract butterflies to their gardens."
That excerpt is from this article that you might find helpful: http://www.texasgardener.com/pastissues/marapr00/passion.html
Please let me know if you have further questions. I hope you enjoy your passionvine and the wonderful butterflies it attracts. Contact our office with any other questions: <personal data hidden>.
-Janet
