Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

We are big fans of propagating plants as nearly as possible to the way nature does it. In the case of Passiflora lutea (yellow passionflower), direct sow the seeds of the plant in the fall where you would like for the plant to grow. You will probably see better germination if you remove the seeds from the fully-ripe fruit before sowing them. In nature, wildlife would provide this service. After removing the seeds, let them dry for a few days and sow them on raked and smoothed earth. Barely cover them with soil and mulch lightly with leaf litter. Gently water in. The seeds should germinate the following spring. Yellow passionflower wants to grow where it has some shade -- especially in the afternoon, and where it has something to climb on.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center occasionally offers Passiflora lutea plants at its October and April plant sales. Please check our website shortly before the sale for availability. The price of a plant in a 4" pot at our last fund-raising sale was $2.50. Not many nurseries would offer this plant as its flowers are not as showy as some other passionflowers and consequently there is little demand for it. We know of no commercial seed sources for yellow passionflower local to you (Central Texas).