Passiflora mollissima, Bananen Passionsblume, Curuba, 20 Samen

Passiflora mollissima, Curuba, 20 seeds

Passiflora mollissima, commonly known as the Banana Passion Fruit, is a vine type plant that produces a flower that in turn becomes a tasty fruit. The Banana Passion Fruit grows particularly fast and produces beautiful red and pink flowers with a yellow and white center and deep, shiny green leaves. The vines are covered in a coat of yellow hairs. The pink flower becomes an oval fruit with yellow skin that resembles a rounded banana, hence the name. Inside the fruit is a sweet orange colored pulp with tiny black seeds. Up to three hundred fruits can be harvested from one plant if produced and cared for properly. It should also be noted that the Passiflora mollissima is a hardy plant. Temperatures have to reach 20 Fahrenheit before the plant will either defoliate or die but due to the large root system, the plant will grow back quickly. It blooms from July to October. Due to its vine characteristic, it can climb anywhere from three to five meters in height. The native grounds for the Banana Passion Fruit are the Andean valleys in Central Brazil where it is used for various uses. One of which is the flavoring of drinks. It is popular in Brazilian culture to use the sweet pulp for cocktails, drinks, and ice cream. The fruit is also eaten fresh by itself, as well. Due to the quick growth of the vine and extremely fast germination - which can be as little as one to two weeks in tropical climates - the Banana Passion Fruit is an invasive species.

A plant can start to produce vines in its second year and flowers annually. The plant favors subtropical to warm-temperate regions which has proven troublesome to contain in the countries it has invaded. This plant can be found in Asia, South Africa and the Pacific Islands but has also been reported to be seen even in California. Passiflora mollissima has various names in those countries as well. It has been called Caruba or Curuba, Taxo, and in Hawaii, they call it the Banana Poka. Poka is the Hawaiian word for "to climb". The Banana Passion Fruit is grown for its pleasant aesthetic appeal in addition to its fruit and also for its attractiveness to hummingbirds and butterflies. The plant nor the flower or the fruit has any known medical benefit besides the benefit of eating the fresh fruit. However, it should be noted that it is dangerous to consume the vines or the leaves.

Let the seeds soak with water for about a day and then plant them about 1cm deep into moist seeding soil and keep at a warm place at about 25°C. Germination will start within 4 weeks