Passiflora Snow Queen- Passion Flower

The Passiflora 'Snow Queen' is a new variety of passionflower that is fantastic, resistant to diseases and can be grown in the ground wherever the temperature does not drop below -8°C (17.6°F). This amazing variety brings a breath of exoticism and a tropical scent to our gardens and sunny terraces with its immaculate and highly fragrant flowering. Climbing with determination and vigour, it tirelessly blooms throughout the entire warm season, producing several very large pure white flowers each day, crowned with sturdy filaments that form long eyelashes around a single eye, occupied by 4 green stamens and 3 black nails. This passionflower occasionally bears oval fruits, yellow-orange in colour, decorative but not edible. Adopt this wonder; its dark green foliage, more or less evergreen depending on the climate, is an additional asset for hiding a fence or an unsightly barrier.

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.

'Snow Queen' (Riverside) is one of them, recently obtained in the United States, still very rare in Europe. This superb hybrid with pure white flowers is a robust, beautiful improvement on the famous 'Constance Eliott', whose flowers are smaller and more susceptible to viral diseases. This climbing plant clings to its support with tendrils, reaching a height of over 4 m (13ft). It is characterised by its quadrangular stems adorned with leaves divided into 3 to 5 thick oval lobes of a shiny dark green colour, more or less evergreen. Its flowering period extends from spring to autumn, in the form of large flowers measuring 10 to 12 cm (4 to 5in) in diameter that repeat on the plant and can last for a few days, unlike the hybrids that produce numerous fruits. These flowers, exuding a scent of exotic fruit, are formed by white sepals, and the central crown is composed of long, stiff filaments, also white. The centre has green stamens and a black pistil with 3 nail-shaped tips. The unusual shape of the flower evolves: the petals and sepals curl, while the crown of filaments folds and then straightens to avoid self-pollination. Once pollinated, the flowers give way to a few rare non-edible fruits, initially green and turning yellow-orange when ripe, measuring 5 to 6 cm (2in) in length.

This Hardy Passionflower, resistant down to -8°C (17.6°F), is not a fussy and difficult plant to grow. It grows easily in well-drained, light, fairly deep and not-too-dry soil in a sunny and sheltered location. At the end of flowering, pruning involves reducing the branches to maintain a beautiful shape. It thrives in all southern and Atlantic regions. With its height of 4 to 5m (13 to 16ft) and generous exotic-looking flowering, the 'Snow Queen' passionflower is a wonderful plant for dressing up walls, fences, trellises, porches, and pergolas. It is also highly appreciated in conservatories, where it will withstand cold winters without damage.