Passiflora x belotii Perfume Passion cov - Passion flower

The Passion Flower 'Perfume Passion' is a hybrid variety appreciated for the fragrance of its large bicoloured flowers with exotic charm. The petals are pale pink to mauve and white, topped with a crown of blue-mauve filaments. The flowers measure up to 15 cm in diameter and exhale a strong lemony scent. This vigorous climber is relatively frost-sensitive, withstanding temperatures down to about -7°C.

Mostly originating from tropical areas of South America, passion flowers belong to the large family of passifloraceae, which includes 400 species and numerous spontaneous or horticultural hybrids. The Passiflora x belotii 'Perfume Passion' is a result of cross-breeding between Passiflora alata and Passiflora caerulea. It is a voluble plant that clings to its support using tendrils, reaching an average height of 4 to 6m. Its long stems are adorned with trilobed, glossy leaves of medium to light green, which are more or less evergreen depending on the severity of the cold. Its flowering period extends from June to early autumn, in the form of 15 cm in diameter flowers that constantly renew themselves on the plant. Its highly fragrant flowers consist of white tepals surmounted by elongated, soft pink petals. These harmonize beautifully with a crown of blue-lavender filaments ringed with white. The stamens, on the other hand, are yellow-green. The flowers are highly appreciated by pollinating insects.

The 'Perfume Passion' Passion Flower is an undemanding plant outside of its hardiness constraints. It grows without difficulty in any well-drained, light, fairly deep soil that is not too dry in summer, and flowers generously in the sun in a sheltered position. Pruning, at the end of flowering, consists of reducing the branches to maintain a beautiful shape. It thrives in all southern and Atlantic regions, and even further north, as it can withstand temperatures down to approximately -7°C. With its fragrant flowering and its very exotic appearance, it is used to dress walls, fences, trellises, porches, and lattices, for example, by associating it with a small evergreen vine that provides permanent decoration and staggered flowering such as a Clematis cirrhosa, which flowers in winter, or a Hardenbergia violacea with spring flowering. It is also highly appreciated in verandas or greenhouses, where it will withstand colder winters without damage.