Blue passion flower
Passiflora caerulea
Blue passion flower
Description
This is a vigorous evergreen high-climbing vine which grows to 6 m. Stems are long and angular with spiralling tendrils. Leaves are very thin and five-lobed almost to the base, each lobe being 3-8 cm long and narrow. Hanging whitish-purple flowers (6-9 cm in diameter) with purple filaments are produced from December to April. Flowers are followed by hanging round fruit (3-5 cm in diameter) that ripen from green to yellow. The fruit have small amounts of inedible pulp, and contain silver-brown seeds (4 mm long).
Impact
This plant smothers the canopy, can strangle host stems and prevents the establishment of native plant seedlings. It appears in light wells away from the parent plant.
What to do
Contact your regional council to determine the status of this species and responsibility for control and/or advice on control.
Page last updated: 24 March 2009