I am certain gardening is a lifelong passion for me. Undoubtedly passed on from my Mother, who referred to this passion as ‘getting the farmer gene’ – her father was a peach farmer in South Georgia. The vases were put together on Mother’s Day, so she has been on my mind – gone for 12 years later this month.
I have always been fascinated by Passionflowers, a graphic design by Mother Nature. A few years ago, I bought one online as a host plant for several butterflies native to South Florida. Despite its reputation as a weed, I had a difficult time establishing the vine in my sand. Two years later, I was disappointed when it flowered, instead of a red passionflower, it was white. Later in the year the fruit produced indicated it was a Purple Possum Passionflower. Passionfruit may be an acquired taste and I think the name is appropriate as most of the fruit was eaten by varmints of some sort. I suspect Raccoons, not Possums.
Since I rarely get any fruit, I cut a few flowers for a vase. These are in a tiny brandy snifter my husband tells me is used to flame brandy…I am well past drinking anything flaming, and the flowers seemed to be fading, so I decided to make another vase with a bit more variety.
Vase two, more colors and another Passionflower. I enjoy all the high colors produced in my garden. The yellow daisies are a recent addition to the butterfly garden; African Bush Daisies (Gamolepis chrysanthemoides) reportedly drought tolerant when established, and a butterfly attractant. I am not noticing either so far, but it is early and has been very dry. The mixed color daisies are Gallardias (Gallardia pulchella) – these have been considered native for years, but whatever genius decides these things declared them not so recently, though it is a rare, tolerant plant that thrives in my yucky sand and should be celebrated. I fear that will make them less popular. The red flowers are Russelia equisetifolium, Firecracker Plant. The orange flowers are from the Firebush (Hamelia patens). The blue flowers around the edges are Mona Lavendar Plectranthus, that turns out to be a long lasting cut flower. The blue flowers in the middle are Mystic Spires Salvia, which I am enjoying in my garden. Chartreuse foliage is from a mysterious Coleus that is thriving in several containers.
When the sun went down the Passionflowers followed suit, short-lived but worth the trouble.
Happy Gardening and thanks to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting. Follow the link to see more vases.
The Shrub Queen 
Oh I had to smile at that last photo, Amy – they seem almost human in the way they have just flaked out at the end of the day!! They made such a sweet vase while they lasted and it must have been good to admire them close up for a while. As always it is an interesting mix in your vase – the salvia is available in the Uk and gaillardias are short-lived perennials, although generally easy to grow from seed. I always enjoy seeing the Russelia and Hamelia – thanks for sharing them too
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Thank you, Cathy. they do like like they just dropped from being tired, and they never reopened. I am interested as well in what we can grow here and there. I think the only common perennials are Oxalis…considering the climate difference is amazing. Do you grow the Russelia as an annual?
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I googled Russelia and it would be more of a conservatory plant but possibly could grow outside in warmer parts
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I still remember the first time I saw a passion flower hanging over a fence, shortly after moving to the South. It was the most fantastic flower I had ever seen. Many years later, after moving into a house, I always keep pots of them. I am also lucky enough to have two wild varieties growing in the woods behind my house.
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There were no Maypops where you are from? My father in law (from Northern Ohio) loved them. I agree, they are fantastic and I am glad there are some wild ones there.
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I never saw them in PA or CT. I moved here in my 20’s, so probably wasn’t paying that much attention.
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I just looked PA is their northern limit..news to me!
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I am from the mountains with a longer winter. Areas like Philadelphia seems to have a longer season and many beautiful public gardens.
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I love the story of your passion fruit plant. My mother had one which grew along a chain linked fence about 30m long. When we went to visit her one holiday, she asked my huband and I to polinate them as the local bees did not have long enough tongues to visit the flowers. We managed about 300 a day for three days. She had a bumper crop that year, and raised some funds that way too.
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Noelle.Amazing story, thank you. Some of the Passionflower is native here. These are not though I must have the right bees.
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They look like they want to fly away in the first picture. I think that if I ever grow passion fruit intentionally, I would like one that actually produces a few fruit, just to justify growing them. The common fruitless sort is something of a weed in Beverly Hills (California). I was told that they grow from roots of plants that grew in ‘orchards’ there decades ago, but they produce no fruit. To me, they look just like the ornamental fruitless type. I tried to dig one up at the home of Brent’s parents, but could never eliminate it completely. Roots got under the foundation of the home! I figured that those roots were too deep get new stems to the surface, but they were back the next year, and are likely still there! My niece knows them as ‘flying saucers’ and really likes them, so I could not get rid of them now.
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I thought the same thing (about flying away) and that I ended up with a weird fruitless cultivar. But, it is not, the fruit is pretty and purple if you can get to it before the animals do.
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It’s too bad the passionflowers didn’t last long in a vase – they’re so interesting. I’ve had very little success growing them in my current garden. They did well in my former garden, although the Gulf Fritillary caterpillars quickly decimated the vine every year. So far, I’ve had just 2 flowers on the passionflower vine I’ve got growing here but maybe it’s a slow starter.
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Well, I enjoy a bit of ephemeral from time to time! The Gulf Frits love the Passionvine and the lizards hang out and eat any number of the cats. I think these vines are slow starters, I babied it for a year at least.
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Even right up until the end, the passion flowers have beauty. They are such an unusual flower, so different from the average with all those dazzling fronds.
I hope I can find some Plectranthus at the nursery this year, I really like their flowers and it’d be nice if I could find the silver-leaved variety, but I haven’t seen them for sale in a a few years.
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Yes, I enjoyed the Passionflowers, despite thier short stay in my foyer. I have to look up a silver one, these are common down here and I see why.
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What a pity that Passion flowers don’t last in water, they look so dramatic. Your arrangement is gorgeous. I’m going to look out for that lovely plectranthus. There certainly is a gardening gene. My grandmother and father had it and both my children are fanatics too. A love of gardening is the greatest gift to hand on to your chidren.
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I agree and had not really studied the flowers up close so it was worthwhile. I recommend the Plectranthus and have been surprised by it..am glad your children are gardeners, and I love seeing their gardens. Two of my nephews got the gene.
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I love the Passionflowers in the glass. Gorgeous.
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Oh, that last image was a shock! They are such delicate flowers. Do they last longer on the plant? Love the arrangement with all the colour in it… the Plectranthus is so pretty. š
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Yes, it looks like they fainted. I don’t think they last longer on the plants..
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I have never grown passion flower myself, but they are truly lovely. I love your apt description of “graphic design,” for they truly are fascinating in design. I also love all the color you are growing in your garden.
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Thank you BLL, hope spring is loving your garden
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Oh wonderful! May I show it on my Blog?
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Yes.
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