Bugs & Buds
bugsnbuds@yahoo.com
 
   Home      Giant Passion Fruit
 
 Giant Passion Fruit
 
 
Giant Passion Fruit, Passiflora quadrangularis, produces the largest passion fruit. It is a perennial climber native to Central and South America. People in the region make a tea from the leaves for high blood pressure and diabetes. They also make drinks and ice-creams from the fruit.

Like other passion fruit plants, Giant Passion Fruit plant can grow well in South East Asia and even produces fruits. However, as it is not native to the region, there may not be natural pollinator to pollinate the flower. Artificial pollination is, thus, necessary to produce fruit.

 
Giant Passion Fruit plant grows well in South East Asia

It may take 2 to 3 years to flower
A healthy plant can produce more than 5 flowers in a branch. 
 
Passion Fruit flower. Understanding of the flower structure 
is required to perform artificial pollination.
Stigma & anther of Flower of Giant Passion Fruit

Flower of other Passion Fruit (for clearer illustration)
Use a brush to brush against anther to obtain pollens

Pollinate the flower by brushing the pollens onto all 3 stigmas
Successfully pollinated, ovary starts to swell within 2-3 days
 
Formation of fruit 
A healthy branch can allow to carry up to 2 fruits
Matured fruit can be more than 20cm in length
 
1.5 kg!!!
Deformed fruit may be caused by incomplete pollination