We love the tangy summer treat of the amazing passionfruit, but did you know that there are a bunch of rogue passionfruit plants that love to spoil the party?
Known as Passionflower or Passion vine, there are a variety of Passiflora species that can become a weedy problem in bushland areas. These vines grow quickly and smother young trees and shrubs with their strong tendrils. Their leaves and unripe fruits can be toxic to people and pets, and they are very difficult to eradicate. Spread readily by birds, these vines contribute to the degradation of our local vegetation communities.
Blue passionflower – Passiflora caerulea. Blue passionflower is often used as a hardy rootstock for varieties of edible passionfruit. Unfortunately, if the vine is abandoned or the rootstock is allowed to grow it can rapidly get out of control and “jump the fence” into bushland. Blue passionflower has striking white flowers with a ring of blue threads above. The dull green-blue leaves usually have 5 finger-like lobes. Fruit are egg-shaped and green, ripening to orange.
Corky passionfruit – Passiflora suberosa. Corky passionfruit is a very hardy vine that presents a real threat to vulnerable vegetation communities. As its name suggests, the vine develops a pale, corky stem as it gets older, although young stems can be smooth and green. Their strong roots often snap when being pulled out and can regrow. Corky passionfruit leaves have 3 lobes, usually with quite pointy tips. The white – pale green flowers develop to a small green berry which ripens to black.
Banana passionfruit – Passiflora tarminiana or P. mollissima. Banana passionfruit is often sought by gardeners for its interesting flowers and fruit. Unfortunately it spreads readily by birds and animals, or in dumped garden waste. Banana passionfruit has glossy leaves with 3 lobes, toothed along the edges. It develops pink flowers which hang down on long green tubes. The fruit look like miniature bananas.
White passionflower – Passiflora subpeltata. White passionflower is perhaps our most common weed in this group. It has large, pale green leaves with 3 rounded lobes, and often a leafy stipule around the stem. It has pure white flowers which produce a pale, leathery fruit, similar in size to edible passionfruit. White passionflower is not edible however and may be toxic.
Stinking passionflower – Passiflora foetida. Not often found in this area, Stinking passionflower has an unpleasant odour and a unique hairy appearance.
Native passionflower – Passiflora herbertiana. Yes we have a native passionfruit! Before you remove a pesky passionfruit, check carefully that it is not our native variety. This slender climber has leaves with 3 shallow, pointed lobes and yellow-orange flowers to 6cm wide. It produces green fruit with pale spots.
Think you might have Passionfruit weeds?
Check out some of these species on NSW WeedWise and contact our Biosecurity officer for help with identifying your passionfruit variety.
