Passiflora miniata
Vanderpl.
Scarlet passionflower
(c) dronsse, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by dronsse
(c) Rich Hoyer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Rich Hoyer
(c) Ashley M Bradford, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ashley M Bradford
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
Fruit. Juicy, sweet and aromatic.The spherical or sub-spherical fruit is richly variegated deep green pale green and cream in six well defined sections, around 45 - 65mm in diameter. It contains a pulp consisting of clear white or yellow, juicy, sweet, and aromatic arils surrounding the seeds..
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant.
Amazon, Australia, Bolivia, Guianas*, South America, Suriname, Venezuela,
How to Identify
A climbing plant. The stems are hairy. The leaves are simple and 5-10 cm long by 4-6 cm wide. The flowers are 8-12 cm across and 7 cm long. The fruit are 5.5 cm across. They are green and have stripes. They become yellow or orange when ripe.
How to Grow
Passiflora species generally grow best in a sheltered, sunny position or in dappled shade. Most species are found in the wild in moist but well-drained soils, generally of a lighter texture, and will often flower and fruit more heavily if the soil fertility is low. They often develop deep roots and can be moderately tolerant of dry spells. Most Passiflora species prefer a neutral to slightly alkaline soil, growing best where the pH is around 6. 5 - 7.5. When established vines are cut down they quickly re-grow from thick fleshy roots. Plants can flower all year round.
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe along with the pulp which will help break down the seed coat and speed up germination. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours in warm water and germination time can be reduced if the seed is then mixed with the juice of a fresh passion fruit (of any species). Even so, it can take 12 months for stored seed to germinate. Place the seed tray in a shady position, maintaining a temperature around 19 - 24°c. Prick the seedlings out into individual containers as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when large enough. Cuttings of young shoots, taken at the nodes. The cuttings root best in a neutral to slightly acid compost, but 100% sharp sand also produces good results. Cuttings of fully mature wood taken at a node. They can take 3 months. Layering. Very easy. Air layering.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves and roots of some, if not all, members of this genus contain a substance called 'passiflorina' which has similaritiesr to morphine and is an effective tranquilizer. We have no specific information for this species but many species are used in herbal infusions to calm the nerves and help bring about a restful sleep. The leaves of many species are also considered to be anthelmintic, antihysteric and diaphoretic. They are used in Brazil to combat intermittent fevers, cutaneous inflammations, and erysipelas.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Passiflora miniata, commonly known as the flaming red passionflower, is a flowering plant of the passion flower family (Passifloraceae). It is native to the northern areas of South America. More specifically, it is a vine with tendrils up to 33 cm (13 in) long, and brilliant red flowers with a purple corona; these flowers, up to 13 cm (5.1 in) wide, are among the largest in the genus.
Names & Synonyms
Monkey-guzzle, Liane serpent, Pachio fuerte
References (2)
- Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 616
- Zambrana, P, et al, 2017, Traditional knowledge hiding in plain sight – twenty-first century ethnobotany of the Chácobo in Beni, Bolivia. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2017) 13:57
