Growing a passionflower in a pot

What type of pot should be used to grow a passion flower?

Ideally, choose a wooden crate of the orangery type to grow your passion flowers in pots. If not, use a terracotta pot with a minimum depth of 40 cm and a diameter of 50 cm.

Orangery crate

Do not use glazed pots, as they restrict air circulation within the pot, which is detrimental to the roots of the passion flower. Similarly, avoid bulbous pots, as removing the plant for repotting becomes very difficult.

Tip: place the pot on a wheeled base to make it easier to move during wintering.

Which substrate should be preferred for a passion flower in a pot?

Know that passionflower does not tolerate overly chalky soils. Ideally, use a mixture consisting of:

• 1/2 part loamy soil that is not chalky,
• 1/3 universal potting compost,
• 1/3 leaf mould,
• 1/3 well-rotted compost,
• a little coarse river sand.

For optimal substrate drainage, also place a layer of gravel or clay balls at the bottom of the pot.

When and how to plant a passion flower in a pot?

In a pot, passionflower is best planted between March and June. Outside of this period, avoid planting during extreme cold or heat.

Passionflower in a pot © Saiberiac | Passiflora edulis © Swallowtail Garden Seeds – Flickr

1. Soak the root ball of the passionflower in a bucket of water to rehydrate it.
2. Install a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot and cover it with a cloth, before adding part of the substrate.
3. Place the root ball along with its support in the pot, and fill in with the remaining substrate.
4. Water generously and mulch the surface of the pot.

Where to place the passionflower pot in the beautiful season?

During the beautiful season, install your young plant in a pot outdoors in a preferably semi-shaded location, sunny if necessary. Excessive sunlight and summer heat may hinder the flowering of the plant.

Passiflora violacea ‘Amethyst’ in a pot

Ensure that the location is also protected from strong winds.

What about watering and fertiliser?

Regular watering is essential for potted passionflower, as it fears drought. However, be sure to allow the substrate to dry out between waterings to avoid excess moisture.

A generous mulch helps to limit rapid drying of the substrate. Mulch is also a very effective way to preventively combat vine weevils.

Passiflora caerulea in pot

Passionflower is a very hungry plant. In spring, during the plant’s vegetative recovery, apply liquid fertiliser enriched with potassium every 15 days, which will promote its flowering. In autumn, carry out a good top dressing using well-matured compost.

How to winter a potted passionflower?

Indoors

Many varieties of passionflowers have very low hardiness. Before the cold arrives, place your pots in a bright frost-free location. If not, you can keep your pots indoors in a well-lit spot, but avoid overheated rooms. Watering should be moderate, ensuring that there is never any water in the saucer. Mist the leaves occasionally, but do not overdo it.

Note: An overheated and dry atmosphere, a lack of light, or constant artificial lighting, along with excessive watering… can harm the passionflower overwintering indoors.

Outdoors

In regions where winter temperatures do not drop below -4°C, you can keep passionflower pots outdoors. However, ensure they are not exposed to cold winds (place them against a sheltered wall), and wrap the pot with straw (10 to 15 cm thick) covered with a winter fleece. Stop watering throughout the winter.

Passionflower under the snow © Kai Schreiber – Flickr

Taking it out in spring

As we have seen, it is entirely possible to keep your potted passionflower inside the house, but its stay should be as short as possible. Moreover, when it is not freezing in winter, feel free to take it outside during the day.

In spring, reinstall your passionflower pots outdoors as soon as possible, once the risk of frost has passed.

Pruning potted passionflower

The pruning of passionflower is part of the obligatory maintenance for this vigorous, fast-growing liana, in order to keep it within proportions suitable for the size of its pot.

Prune your potted passionflower in autumn, that is, before bringing it indoors for winter. It is also possible to carry out the operation in spring if your passionflower remains outside during winter.

To lighten and contain the plant:

1. prioritise the removal of dead stems;
2. cut back misplaced or excessive stems, at a rate of one stem for every three or four;
3. also shorten the longest stems;
4. for passionflowers wintered outdoors: cut back burnt stems near the base so they can regrow from the stump.

To go further

Discover our complete file: Passionflower: planting, growing, pruning