Passifloras in the garden

[ruweiss]

Yesterday we had the warmest day of the year,34°C in the shade.This caused some
stress to humans,animals and plants from cooler regions.Some thunderstorms in the
night brought a welcome refreshment,today it was a bit cooler,and it actually rains
again.
My passionflowers P.caerulea and P.incarnata(both raised from seed exchange seeds)
like this warm weather and express this with profusional flowering. Both species grow
in the shelter of the western housewall,P.caerulea clings itself to a Wistaria and reached
now our balcony in 7m height where we can admire these fantastic flowers.There was
no dieback in the last winters! P.incarnata dies back to ground level after the first frosts,
rises again in may/june,grows up to 5m and starts flowering again in the middle of july,
until frost stops it.Constance Elliot is a white form of P.caerulea,the pic is from the
Wilhelma in Stuttgart.

[kirsitn]

Beautiful! What is your minimum winter temperature?

[ruweiss]

Kristin,In the last years our winters got warmer and warmer and so we had only -11°C in december
2007 as the lowest temperature,for me an alarming fact. I remember winters 25 years ago with very low
temperatures for a long period.

[kirsitn]

And all these Passifloras have survived -11 C outside? 
In that case I must definitily consider trying them out here as well. Even though we can get down to -20 C, the last three-four winters have not had minimum temperatures lower than approx. -12C.

[Maggi Young]

I think you should try them ,Kristin.... I know of some growing in Aberdeen where the temperatures are very similar 

[kirsitn]

Do they flower in Aberdeen or do you just get a green carpet?

[Maggi Young]

I don't have them myself, Kirstin, but I do know they flower and in a really warm summer, even some fruit, though I don't know if they've ever eaten it!

[SueG]

A garden by me has a plant which flowers and fruits every year and looks wonderful. I think the fruits are edible but inspid for P caerulea. Some species are not edible and may be poisonous. This website http://www.passionflow.co.uk/index.htm has more information.
Sue

[Maggi Young]

Some species are not edible and may be poisonous

A timely warning not to go chomping about willy-nilly, Sue!

[David Pilling]

There's an article here:

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Learning/Publications/pubs/garden0503/passiflora.htm

about the breeding of hardy passionflowers.

"...Passiflora genus is most often represented by popular blue-flowered P. caerulea. Good selections of this can make fine, hardy garden plants, but seed-raised examples often produce poorly-coloured blooms and prove shy to flower. Toughest of all, P. incarnata, known in the USA as ‘May Pops’, will tolerate -16°C (3°F). ..."

[Maggi Young]

Thank you, David !

[ruweiss]

Kristin,the last winters did no harm to P.coerulea and P.incarnata which is dormant in the ground during
winter.So-why not try it ?
My recommendation is to plant strong and vigorous plants in spring at the western our southern side near
the housewall and give them good care during the warm season.So they can establish themself well,
continue with a winter protection and keep fingers crossed.Good luck!