Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Tuesday - May 06, 2014

From: Mechanicsville, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Vines
Title: Waiting for a Passiflora to Emerge
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

My passiflora vine in Virginia seems to have died in our severe winter. Should I continue to wait for new growth or dig it up now and start again?

ANSWER:

It is quite possible that the harsh 2013-2014 winter could have caused your Passiflora (passion flower) vine to succumb to the cold temperatures, freezing and thawing weather or waterlogged soil. Without knowing which of the six native passiflora you have, Mr. Smarty Plants can't pinpoint the exact reason. But, by this time your vine should have leaved out or sent up new shoots from the base. So, use this as an opportunity to start anew. The six native passionflowers are Passiflora affinis (bracted passionflower), Passiflora foetida (corona de cristo), Passiflora incarnata (purple passionflower), Passiflora lutea (yellow passion vine), Passiflora suberosa (corkstem passionvine), and Passiflora tenuiloba (big wing passionflower).

The hardiest of these native vines are Passiflora incarnata (zone 7) and Passiflora lutea (zone 6).

From the Image Gallery

Bracted passionflower
Passiflora affinis

Maypop
Passiflora incarnata

Yellow passionflower
Passiflora lutea

Birdwing passionflower
Passiflora tenuiloba