h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks for this very informative article!

We popped a passion flower in the ground in 2004. whilst it was against a south-facing wall, it was right by a corner which meant the west side was completely exposed and led round to the north. Therefore, it became quite a shrivelled and pathetic example with just a couple of stems.

Having decided to move it, we left it where it was until ready to do so. Next thing we new, it was clambering up everything in sight and turned into a veritable bush with an explosion of fantastic flowers.

Then, to my delight, it fruited in abundance and got so heavy that it pulled down some of its supports. However, the missus said "of course, you know you can't eat them", so they were left to ripen and fall off for the birds.

Unfortunately, I don't know the variety, but can you tell me whether I might be able to eat the next crop?

Thanks

JT

If you live in Blighty then it's very probably P. caerulea. You *can* eat the fruit, but they don't taste that great.

Some passion fruit are deadly toxic when unripe and edible when ripe. This isn't one of them. If you are going to grow passion flowers for fruit, then grow P. incarnata as this is (a) hardy-ish (b) non-toxic and (c) tastes nice.

Thanks for that - I seem to have the right location for it, so may give it a go.

JT

P. actinia is also worth a try as it is very hardy and has very nice tasting fruit. Buggered if I know where to get it, tho'.

There are some lengths I'm NOT prepared to go to for information!

But thanks for the species name.

JT

are all passion fruits edible?

No.