
Passion fruit
Passion fruit: plant 200 cm (79 in) apart in the row and 300 cm (118 in) between rows, 1 plant per 44 squares. Good neighbours: Marigold, Basil.
Key facts
| Spacing in the row | 200 cm (79 in) |
|---|---|
| Between rows | 300 cm (118 in) |
| In a 30 cm (1 ft) square | 1 plant per 44 squares |
| Sun | Full sun, 6–8 hours a day |
| Root depth | 25 cm (10 in) |
| Height when grown | 250 cm (98 in) |
| Crop rotation group | Herbs, flowers and perennials |
| Support | Climbs: give it a trellis or teepee |
Sowing and germination
| How it is started | From a bought plant, from cuttings, sown straight into the bed |
|---|---|
| Seeds per hole | 1 |
| Plants kept after thinning | 1 |
| Seeds per metre of row | 1 |
| Sowing depth | 1 cm (0.4 in) |
| Soil temperature | from 20 °C, best 25–30 °C |
| Days to emerge | 14–40 days |
| Light while germinating | Needs darkness, cover well |
| Before sowing | Soak overnight |
| When to sow | Outdoors after the last frost; soil at least 20 °C |
From seedling to plant
| Pricking out | sown where it grows |
|---|---|
| Takes transplanting | Only with care, keep the root ball |
| Hardening off | 10–14 days |
| Life cycle | Tender perennial, grown as an annual where it freezes |
| Cold tolerance | Tender, hurt by frost |
| Soil | Rich, with compost, free draining, pH 5.5–7 |
| In a pot | 40 L, 40 cm (15.7 in) |
| Watering | Water when the soil is dry two fingers down; while growing, while fruit sets, in dry spells |
| Feeding | Hungry; in spring, while growing, while picking |
| Support and training | Wires or a frame; prune, tie in as it grows |
Harvest and planning
| Days to first harvest | 1–2 years, from planting |
|---|---|
| Ready when | The husks fall by themselves |
| Harvest window | Picked again and again, 8–16 weeks |
| Typical yield | 5–15 kg per plant |
| Botanical family | Passifloraceae |
| Watch out for | Spider mites, aphids, root rot in wet soil |
| First crop after | 1–2 years |
| Pollination | Needs another variety nearby |
Good neighbours
Marigold◐
Basil◐
Lemongrass
Black-eyed peas◐
Sweet potato◐
Shiso
Cassava
Taro
Chives
Garlic◐
Yarrow◐
Nasturtium◐
Borage
Calendula◐
Sweet alyssum◐
◐ good with a condition · Why, with the sources →
Plan Passion fruit in your garden
Open the free planner, drop Passion fruit onto a bed and see how many plants fit.
Start Planning Your GardenSowing and harvest
| Sow indoors | Mar |
|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | May |
| Harvest | Aug–Nov |
My dates for this crop
Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.
- Not recommended
- Marginal
- Conditional
- Favourable
Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.
Grown much the same way
Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.