Passiflora alata Seeds | Winged-stem Passionflower

Flat, dark brown Winged-stem Passionflower seeds, oval and finely pitted, on a plain background — Winged-stem Passionflower (*Passiflora alata*): Passifloraceae, native to the warm woodlands of southern South America.

LATIN NAME: Passiflora alata

COMMON NAME: Winged-stem Passionflower, Fragrant Granadilla

Plant Profile

Winged-stem Passionflower is an evergreen climber with four-winged, square-section stems that give it its name, and large, glossy, deeply lobed leaves. Its flowers, ten to twelve centimetres across, are among the most elaborate in the genus: deep purple-red petals, a corona banded in white and purple, and a scent that is strongest in the evening.

It comes from the warm woodlands of Brazil, Peru and Paraguay and has been grown in European glasshouses since the early nineteenth century. The fruit that follows, a yellow-green oval granadilla, is edible and sweet, which is why it is also called fragrant granadilla. The stems are square in section with four thin wings, a trait shared with a few other passionflowers and useful for identification even without flowers.

Science & Biotechnology

The species is pollinated by large carpenter bees, whose size lets them push past the corona to reach the nectar and pick up pollen on the way. The flower’s geometry, with the ovary raised above the anthers, is a classic subject in studies of pollination mechanics in Passiflora.

Its chemistry has been studied in Brazil, where the leaves are used in folk medicine as a sedative. Extracts contain flavonoids including vitexin and isovitexin, and animal work has looked at their effect on the central nervous system; the fruit, by contrast, is simply a pleasant granadilla with a mild, sweet pulp. The vine is evergreen in the tropics but loses some leaves in a cool winter, which is worth knowing when siting it against a wall.

Uses & Benefits

The fruit is eaten fresh and used in drinks in Brazil, and it is sweeter and less acidic than the purple passionfruit of commerce. In the garden the plant is grown for its flowers and its scent, and it will cover a large pergola in a season or two.

Leaf preparations are used in Brazilian folk medicine as a calmative, and the species appears in the pharmacological literature for that reason. Home use is not advisable without professional guidance, particularly alongside sedatives. In warm climates it will climb into trees if given the chance, so keep it away from vulnerable shrubs.

Growing from Seed

Sow at 22 to 25 °C in a light, free-draining mix, covering the seed by its own depth. Fresh seed germinates in three to six weeks; stored seed can be much slower, and a cool, moist stratification period of a few weeks often helps.

Give the vine a warm, sheltered position with strong support and plenty of water in summer. It is vigorous and can be cut back to a framework in late winter. In frost-prone gardens grow it in a large pot and move it under glass before the first frost; it tolerates a minimum of about 5 °C.

Our Take

A large-flowered, scented climber that also crops: the best of the ornamental passionflowers for a warm greenhouse. It wants space, water and a hard winter prune.

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