Passiflora incarnata Snowstar - Passion Flower

The 'Snow Star'® Passionflower is a hybrid variety in the line of 'Eia Popeia', which is both decorative, fruitful, and rather hardy. Its vegetation is perennial, like that of Passiflora incarnata, the officinal passionflower, and its fruits are delicious. It is a vigorous climbing plant, with white and fragrant flowers adorned with long filaments. They bloom from early summer to autumn. Pollinated by bees, they transform into fruits the size of a small egg that turn yellow when ripe. Their flavour is identical to that of commercial fruits. Enjoy them with a teaspoon or in a fruit salad. The passionflower needs well-drained soil, not too dry, warmth in summer to flower, and not too wet soil in winter.

Mostly native to tropical areas of South America, passionflowers belong to the large family of Passifloraceae, which includes 400 species and numerous spontaneous or horticultural hybrids. Passiflora incarnata is a wild species native to the southeastern United States and Mexico. The Cooltropics® 'Snowstar'® hybrid variety was born in a Swiss nursery.

This 'Snow Star' passionflower has a perennial stump that produces new voluble stems every spring, quite late, between late May and early June. The above-ground vegetation disappears completely in winter. The well-branched stems cling to their support with tendrils, reaching a height of 3 or 4m (10 or 13ft) in a season. These are herbaceous stems that disappear with the first real frosts. They are adorned with glabrous leaves, 8-12cm (3-5in) long by 7-11 cm (3-4in) wide, divided into 3 lanceolate elliptical lobes, thick, with dentate margins, a medium green on the upper side, traversed by pale yellow veins.

The flowering of the 'Snow Star' passionflower extends from June to October in favorable climates. Each stem bears 5 to 10 flowers measuring 8 to 12cm (3 to 5in) in diameter, quite ephemeral, constantly renewing on the plant. Its pleasantly fragrant flowers are formed by slightly greyish white tepals. The filaments of the crown, beautifully frizzed, pure white, extend well beyond the tepals. The centre of the flower is occupied by 5 greenish stamens with yellow anthers and 3 greenish styles, united at the base. The unusual shape of the flower evolves: petals and sepals curve, while the crown of filaments folds and then straightens, to avoid self-pollination. Once pollinated, the flowers give way to edible ovoid fruits, tinged with yellow when ripe, measuring 4-5cm (2in) long. The translucent pulp is sweet, tasty, and fragrant. Fruits will only form on the plant in the presence of another passionflower, through cross-pollination.

This 'Snow Star' Passionflower has a hardy stump down to -12°C (10.4°F), after 2 or 3 years of cultivation. It is very important to protect the stump from cold and humidity during the first two winters. It thrives in all southern and Atlantic regions, also venturing inland in well-protected gardens. This small liana can be used to dress walls, fences, trellises, porches, preferably in combination with an evergreen vine that will provide permanent decoration in winter (Clematis cirrhosa, Hardenbergia violacea, Variegated Ivy). It can also be planted against an evergreen or deciduous hedge, to bring a lot of originality to it in summer. It is also highly appreciated in conservatories where it will withstand very cold winters without damage.