Passiflora edulis

Passion fruit

 

The famous

                                                                               

 

Fruit de la passion, maracudja, passion fruit, ponm maracudja, marakoudja, grenadille, grénadiy, mountain sweet cup, parcha, grenadilla, …

 

Family

 

PASSIFLORACEAE

 

Origin

 

Brazil

 

Description

  

It is a climbing vine that can reach up to 45 ft long, and which is grown both for its ornamental value and its edible fruits.

 Leaves from the passion flower are oblong with 3 lobes, and can be up to 1 ft long and 1 ft wide.

This vine has fragrant purple and white flowers with a bell shaped calyx. Petals and sepals are white, while the corona is purple-blue. The flowers are about 3 in wide.

Maracudja is a yellow fruit that is up to 1/3 ft in diameter.

 

Habitat

 

Cultivated

 

Propagation

Seeds or cutting

 

Culture and care

 

This vine, like most passion flowers, prefers a well-drained ground.

Plant prefers full sun and trellis.  These can be trained up a sunny wall on the porch to give seasonal shade, and the flower display is a big plus.  Soak seeds in a jar of water placed in the bright sun for a week or so, then plant about 1/2 inch deep in fast-draining mix and keep very warm.  Germination occurs in about 22 days.  Good subject for lights or bottom heat.   

Protect from frost 

Uses

 

- Ornemental use

 

Can be on a arbor or fence.

 

- Alimentary use

 

Fruit, beverages, marmelades, syrup

 

Autres usages

 

Phytotherapy, contain flavanoïds and alcaloïds which have sedatives properties.

 

Etymology

 

Passiflora comes from «Passion-flower », the signature of the numbers of parts in the flower related to the events of the Passion of Christ.

Edulis means « edible ».

 

Anecdote

 

Its name was given by the Spanish Jesuits because the morphology of the flower recalled the instruments of the Passion of Christ: corolla and filaments corresponding to the crown of thorns, the 5 stamens to the 5 wounds of Christ, the pistil to the cross, the 3 stigmata to the three nails, the color white and purple, to purity and to Paradise and the 3 bracts to the Trinity.

 

Recipe

 

Punch Marakoudja

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 bottle of Agricol white rhum
• 3 Marakoudja
• 5 tablespoons of brown sugar cane
• 1 Vanilla pod (optional)

 

 

How to make:

 

Drink one glass of rhum to make place inside the bottle.

Cut passions fruits and put what it contains in the bottle, add sugar.

 

It is ready to drink (with moderation)

 

You can also put ice cubes in your glass.