Passiflora Incarnata

Passiflora incarnata. Seed originally from semi-wild plants on the Deitrich farm near Elmer, NJ, brought to Truelove Seeds by Nathan Kleinman of the Experimental Farm Network in 2015. Herbaceous perennial vine native to the southeastern US; climbs by tendrils and spreads by underground runners. Vines 6–20 ft long, dying back to the ground each winter. Dark green, deeply three-lobed leaves with finely toothed edges, 3–6 in. long. Fragrant flowers 2–3 in. wide with white to lavender petals and a fringed crown of purple-and-white banded filaments; blooms midsummer to frost, starting in the second year. Oval fruit 2–3 in. long, ripening from green to soft and slightly yellow; drops when ripe. Sweet-tart pulp, eaten fresh or used for jelly and juice. Pollinated by bees; host plant for fritillary butterflies. Root-hardy to zone 5. Seed is slow to germinate; cold stratification helps.