Passiflora amethystina ‘Minas Gerais’
Continued below…….
When we purchased Passiflora amethystina ‘Minas Gerais’, it was such a small harmless looking thing. What a surprise it was when I seen what a monster this thing could grow into! It blooms late summer through fall for us and when it starts blooming, it just doesn’t stop! The flowers are held on long peduncles which give this flower the characteristic of flying little flowers popping out of the vine. It sets fruit readily and boy oh boy are they smelly. They smell like they have been on the vine rotting for months! This was our first Passiflora amethystina and I will always love it bunches for being our first.
Passiflora amethystina x Passiflora amethystina ‘Purple Heart’
Continued below…….
I purchased this plant at a San Francisco Botanical Garden plant sale. It had flower buds and a couple of fruits, but I bought without seeing a bloom anyhow just because I loved my Passiflora amethystina ‘Minas Gerais’ so much I figured how could I not love it. I was so elated when I had seen Passiflora amethystina x Passiflora amethystina ‘Purple Heart’ bloom for the first time! It was so beautiful! It was love at first sight. It is larger than Passiflora amethystina ‘Minas Gerais’ and Passiflora amethystina ‘Sao Sebastiao’. The coloration on it is just so darn beautiful it is hard to get it captured in a picture! This can become a massive vine and when it is allowed to do so, it blooms like mad. Like our other Passiflora amethystina types, this one also blooms in late summer through fall for us. With all this vigor and beauty there has to be an ugly side………Passiflora amethystina x Passiflora amethystina ‘Purple Heart’ HATES the winter time. Even brought under protection and given supplemental lighting, this thing dies back to almost nothing which just breaks my heart to see.
Passiflora amethystina ‘Sao Sebastiao’
Continued below…….
Now don’t get me wrong, I like Passiflora amethystina ‘Sao Sebastiao’ it just doesn’t compare to the other Passiflora amethystina types that I have. It grows into a massive vine just like the others, it just doesn’t produce the abundance of flowers like the others do. It is a bit disappointing in comparison. It is nice and reminds me of Passiflora amethystina ‘ Minas Gerais’ in flower it just doesn’t perform like it does. We know people that just adore this variant of Passiflora amethystina. Maybe it has to do with the climate. It may love having more humidity than our climate can provide. It is nice when it flowers, I just wish there was more. I guess our other Passiflora amethystina types are more tolerant of high heat and low humidity. They just have me spoiled!