Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima seeds - Curuba

The Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima, also known as Curuba or Banana Passionflower, is a Passion Flower originating from the mountainous regions of South America. This exotic climbing plant is characterised by its light pink flowers and edible elongated fruits, which turn yellow-orange when ripe. It is a beautiful tropical plant that can be grown in a pot in our climates. Ornamental and interesting for its tasty fruits, this passionflower will delight enthusiasts of original conservatory plants.

Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima belongs, like all passionflowers, to the Passifloraceae family. It is a botanical species native to the mountainous regions of the Andes, especially Ecuador and Colombia. In the wild, it grows in cool areas at an altitude between 1,800 and 3,000 metres. This vigorous climbing plant can reach up to 7 m in length in its natural habitat. Grown in a pot, its growth will be much more modest. Its foliage consists of large trilobed dark green leaves, measuring about 10 to 15 cm long. They are slightly fuzzy, especially on the underside. The leaf edges are finely toothed, and their texture is soft, hence the name mollissima, meaning "very tender" in Latin. This dense, bright green foliage contributes to the lush appearance of this climbing plant. Flowering occurs from spring to autumn. The 8 to 10 cm diameter flowers are bell-shaped and delicate pink. They are pendulous with a tubular base, featuring rather thin petals and sepals. In the centre of the corolla, there is a crown of mauve filaments with pink protuberances. The fruits are elongated, changing from green to yellow-orange when ripe and measure up to 12 cm long. They are edible, sweet, fragrant, and slightly acidic.

This Passion Flower thrives in rich, moist, well-drained soil in a sunny location. Prune after flowering to reduce the branches to maintain a beautiful shape. Use it to adorn a trellis in the conservatory or a temperate greenhouse. The growth of this passionflower is rapid, but it is very sensitive to cold: the plant suffers below 3°C. And it dislikes heatwaves.