banana passionfruit

Leona says...
I saw these at Bunnings

Mike says...
Hi, I have been searching for this plant far and wide. Would love to get a hold of one too if possible. I went to your Melbourne distributor (Gardensmart, Braeside) some time ago but they didn't have it.

Mike says...
Hi Jantina, I'll check it out. Would be fantastic if they have it available. Thanks for your help.

Mike says...
I called Nelly Kelly nursery and it seems they've been placed on the noxious weed list by DSE here in Vic. Don't know why as I don't see any of them around so didn't think they were an invasive pest.

culebra says...
i grew mine from a 2in tubestock from bunnings several years ago. now its taking over an 8m fence! id grow it for the flowers alone, the fruit are a bonus but are not as sweet as common purple passionfruit. plus the seeds are rock hard and slightly annoying. appears to self-seed. can become weedy.

culebra says...
Hi Amanda i think you may be right re: climate.
I am in Melbourne. Mine grows mainly in winter here and definitely slows down in the heat of summer. Also it is flowering well right now and i counted over 40 flowers open today. i really like the flowers on this one. An excellent ornamental.

The best ones i ever saw in terms of healthiness were in southern Tasmanian (v cold climate by Aus standards, certainly they were exposed to severe frosts but had plenty of water) where they were invading native bushland at an alarming rate but provided me with a good meal. so based on that i'd say it would appear to enjoy cooler climates. Accordingly native climate is the Andes from venezuela-Peru with heavy rainfall so it must have some innate cold tolerance.

I agree with Mike though, I don't see much of them around Melbourne or anywhere in Vic for that matter, so placing them on the noxious weed list seems a tad extreme imo. Although i have noticed some suspiciously passionfruit looking seedlings emerging in the vicinity of my vine which are almost certainly banana passionfruit so the potential is there. apparently its a serious weed in Hawaii and New Guinea.

Not knowing your conditions, I'd say the lack of pulp is due to a lack of water. these are really thristy plants. possibly they can take much hotter climates is provided with sufficient water. mine is situated underneath a down pipe in very sandy soil which means it gets watered especially in winter albeit at an ever-decreasing rate with our drying local climate. I do provide artifical water in the hotter months or if we are having a dry spell. I haven't fed it in a while (you have reminded me to do so). I used to feed it with miracle gro and fish emulsion. Never seen any pests or diseases with this one which is a plus. All the best.

culebra says...
I could probably offer free banana passionfruit seeds in a couple of months if anyone wants. (many fruits on vine currently but they are not ripe yet).

Flick says...
HI evryone with a banana pash vine, I planted mine out last Sept 2008, it seem that the frost had taken most of my blossom. but i have more flowers on it know and only 4 fruit. 2 of them made it through winter and the other 2 after winter. So i really dont know when to expect fruit off them as we seem to live in different climates.
But I do remember as a little girl my friend parents had one in Wauchope, NSW AND THE FRUIT WAS YUUMMY,so thats why i chose the banana pash vine and i hope they taste the same as the plant in Wauchope did other wise i will be very disapointed.

ran says...
I have purchase dry seeds of ebay but they were difficult to germinate but I now have 3 banna passionfruit seedlings

Rev says...
wow thats a long time
i havent eaten them since i was a kid.
Theres a few closely related species.

like most passionfruits they strike well from cuttings in summer

Jantina says...
Is there a Bunnings nearby david? they often have them (here in Mt Gambier) or check Daleys.

epiphany says...
They definitely like the colder weather. I grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand...the winters there get cold (frost most mornings, sometimes some snow, etc). Banana passionfruit used to grow almost wild up in the Port Hills near my grandparents. They were declared a pest (the passionfruit, not my grandparents...lol) because of their ability to become invasive. But they were lovely to pick as we went walking past :)

I found a few plants in Bunnings recently down here in Melbourne, so am going to give it a go this year as it's pretty hardy. It'll be interesting to see how it copes with our hot summers.

Max says...
Hi There,
I have a banana pass growing here and the fruit is just starting to ripen. At least 60 fruit on the vine which is Two years old. I first encountered in Hobart as a school boy (long time ago). As far as the pest side goes you can see them growing wild and possibly out of control along the highway North of Orbost up to Merimbula.

Colin says...
Hi guys have a bannana pass 2 years old has gone balistic, never heard of this type when the yellow fruit came out i throught we had a dud plant my wife Maggie got it from Bunnings it was a Nelly product the picture on the tag was of the common type (as I know it)
It shoots of lots of suckling shoots that start growing through my new lawn up to 4 mt away from plant I will let it fruit this summer, then its good by, I could see how this plant could go feral if left to run free, im on top of it but every 2 day checking & pulling out shoots,any one who would like it you are welcome , I really feel if it was cut back & dug out it would kick of again Colin

Pam says...
Is there a cold climate passion fruit. I really like them but I live at 4200 feet with frosts and occasional snow.

Rosalie says...
I planted a seedling purchased from Bunnings about 12 months ago. Now have a huge vine with many beautiful flowers but only ONE fruit has developed. Does it need a companion plant?

snottiegobble says...
Not for the faint hearted, the banana passionfruit will climb up just about anything to 6 metres & if its host is a slender tree the festoon of vine & fruit will eventually drag its branches down! The birds tuck in to the fruit too so there are also baby vines to deal with. Cannot say the taste is at all appealing compared to its more popular cousins!

Jason says...
Apparently it's a real good weed in Southern NSW on the coast. It doesn't grow that well here, there's one or two plants on the highway but it struggles to do anything much. You sometimes see people stopped there collecting the fruit

Rosalie says...
Many thanks Brendan - I'll try this. I remember this plant from childhood when our neighbour's vine hung over the fence and we devoured with relish the beautiful fruit. I was thrilled to find this plant after years of searching, but have been so disappointed with lack of fruit. Looking forward to better results following your advice.

kerry says...
can anyone send me some seeds

chillilover says...
hi kerry do you have bunnings close by. I saw plenty of banana passionfruit plants there today for $10.

TrishTheDish says...
I have spotted 2 very healthy vines growing along the Great Western Hwy at Bullaburra, which is a cooler climate (not often frozen tho!). I have tried to grow the Bunnings bought type in the more humid Sydney basin with no results. I would suggest not treating this beauty in the same way we grow its more popular sibling, neglect may be the best treatment.

I will gather some seeds if anyone is interested, let me know.

snottiegobble says...
T the D, banana PF can certainly move & travel up just about any trees that get in its way making its fruit easy fodder for birds, possums etc. I would not consider growing it ever again!

coastie says...
I feel homesick after that post, does anyone know where I can get seeds or plants of passiflora antioquiensis, please.

john says...
I have spent some time pulling out Banana passion fruit from the bush. Big weed potential.

coastie says...
The red one or passiflora antioquiensis is not rampant like the regular pink flower one.

denise says...
olelantana on ebay is selling seeds of passiflora mollissima -banana P/F.It is described as not being on the australian noxious weed list.

Mike says...
The question of weeds,animal pests and official lists is a complex one.Many of the worst environmental weeds are cattle fodder species and government agencies have been the johnny appleseeds of their spread.Some like leucaena are still being spread and because cows enjoy them like many exotic introductions won't be making any lists for this reason.Ironically lowland cassowaries rely on feral guavas and pond apples for food and trout are not on noxious species lists in spite of documented environmental harm and exclusion of native species.Tilapia are considered one of the most serious pest fish but there is no documented example of harm to native species.
Formal lists have to be taken with a grain of salt and many plants in common use have weed potential.It is hard to assess the level of threat your backyard plant poses especially when you see a landscape wide weed 'apocalypse' in many places.

Mike says...
GM superweeds could be serious threats in the future and GM pollen contaminating non-GM crops would certainly compromise their marketability.There are dozens of example of seriously weedy plants not being able to make lists for reasons that are not biological.Legislation routinely retreats from reality on weeds.The bush will never go back to pre 1770 or for that matter pre 50 000bc and there is much we can do to protect the scaps of biodiversiy left.I don't know the level of threat posed by banana passionfruit,or the infestation extent but there are loads of serious potential weeds in yards ready to make their escape.

amanda says...
Must admit I feel the same Mike and Jantina....from what I can gather most declared weeds are those that are noxious to Agriculture in some way (a few are not - but they are few)

If the GM gene is jumping barriers - then could not a suicide gene also?
Haven't we learnt these harsh lessons with biological control efforts? (eg cane toad)

I think my resident acacia is a noxious weed on my block...!?

If a plant is the right plant in the right place, at the right time...then is it a weed? ;-)

SophieLind says...
Hi guys after reading your many comments on banana passionfruit I would really love to get a seedling from the passiflora antioquiensis. I will either pay or swap for Elderberry seedlings or prickly pears. Please contact me on softice4u at msn dot com
Kind regards
Sophie

Muse says...
This film is INCREDIBLY informative. With an amazing line up of scientists who are on the front line - or have been - of GM invention talking straight after years of being silenced. Inform yourselves and then let's discuss some more.

In Kindness...
Muse