Passiflora coccinea advice please....

Hello All.

This is a Passilfora coccinea that I started from seed about five years ago. It has always looked pretty much like this.

It has been in the garden all summer. It has been in direct sun. It has been in part shade. It has been under grow lights. I have kept it on the dry side. I have kept it on the wet side. I have fertilized it. I have not fertilized it for months. It has never had bugs of any kind. I have misted it daily. I have talked to it. I have tried to reason with it. My next step is to take it out for dinner and and an evening at the theatre (Little Shop of Horrors is playing at a local venue...a good choice?).

I am a sucker for red flowers and would love to see this plant bloom. Any thoughts on what I can do differently?

Thank you.

Erick



This message was edited Jan 6, 2007 1:42 PM

Erick, I have both coccinea and vitafolia. Vitafolia is definently the more vigerous grower. The coccinea just doesn't grow fast nor well in a container. I have had mine for quite awhile, and each May I take the vitafolia outdoors and place the pot in afternoon sun.

The vitafolia grows on my lower patio, covered by the deck overhead, and only gets a couple of hours of morning sun - it blooms its head off! I have no idea what the difference is, but there is definently a difference in growing habits. My coccinea has only had a very few blooms on it in all the time I have had it.

Thank you KayJones. I have often wondered if I should give on on coccinea and switch to vitafolia. I appreciate the helpful advice.

Erick

Erick i dont have coccinea but ive been useing the pollen from it my nebors down the street have one its about 40 feet tall in the ground and its all ways loaded with flowers . i have lady margret and also p. alto both blooming and doing good . you may try this put it in a smaller pot and let it get pot bound thats what i did with my lady margret

Thanks Paul. I suppose I have nothing to lose by repotting it into a smaller pot with fresh soil. But as KayJones gently suggests, it may just be time for me to divorce coccinea and start dating vitifolia. A guy can only take the cold shoulder for so long.

Erick

This message was edited Jan 6, 2007 8:54 PM

Erick,

I have what I believe is Passiflora Vitifolia growing on my back (north) fence and east fence. The one on the north fence is more than huge. It is massive, has hopped over the gate and climbed up the neighbor's pine tree. A couple of years ago, I decided to dig up some of the popups, but forget that! The roots were as big around as my thumb and almost as tough as nails (fibrous). I don't know why it grows so much better than the one on the east side except for the fact that it is on the edge of a deep ditch that overflows during flooding rains. Both bloom quite well, but they do blooom later than some of my others.

I am not aware of it ever producing fruit. It is so big and thick that it very well could have, and I missed seeing the fruit.

If you would like, I could root some cuttings of it for you when it starts growing again this spring. Just be be aware that in the ground, the roots become huge.

Please let me know if you would liked to try some rooted cuttings.

I'd opt for a vitifolia. Anything that looks that awful after five years should be shot at sunrise. :-)

Did I read somewhere that some passiflora seedlings will never bloom?

Perhaps, just perhaps, the problem is that it was grown from seed and not a cutting? What do you think?

HSteacher,

Thank you very much for the most helpful advice and the kind offer to root some cuttings for me in the spring. I would be delighted to take you up on it! I certainly wish I had your climate. I don't believe that there are any Passifloras that will overwinter here in Minnesta, except perhaps a slim shot for incarnata. It will be to get a new rooted cutting in the spring. Know that your kind offer is appreciated.

In my humble opinion, I'm sure there are some seedlings that are more reluctant to bloom than others, just from a genetic standpoint. But I would think that all seedlings would bloom to some extent under the right conditions.

gordo, I share your sentiment! It's time to send coccinea to the great compost heap in the sky. We've just been through so much over the years, it's just a little tough to say good-bye (LOL).

Erick

You have a deal!

Here is a picture....

And here is a broader view of just a section of this vine...

This message was edited Jan 8, 2007 9:26 PM

My coccinea years ago would only bloom in the fall.so out it went. Now I have pieresi and it blooms when it warm.Beautiful flowers that are wide,but still needs some new genes to make it grow faster.
:-) Kyle