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roseyt

Passion Flower growing wild

roseyt
17 years ago

My son discovered an area approximately 20' X 20' of passion flowers growing wild in our pasture. Would it be possible to relocate some of them and even more importantly, would it be wise to do so? I think I'd like to move them so they can cover the fence at the front of the pasture.

Thanks in advance!

Comments (3)

  • jblaschke
    17 years ago

    Well, "wise" is pretty subjective, so I can't help you there.

    There are several species that are native to Texas, but I'm assuming you've found passiflora incarnata, the wild Maypop. These can be easily relocated as long as you dig up a good section of root and trim the plant back considerably (the reduced root system can't support the full length of vine when you transplant). These sucker readily, so finding a smaller vine shouldn't be too much trouble.

    Alternately, you could simply collect some of the ripe fruit (they'll drop to the ground when fully ripe) and either plant those seeds in your yard to sprout next year, or get them going in starter pots this year so as to give it a head start on growth and plant the seedlings in the spring.

    Either way, it'll likely be next summer before you get flowers and/or fruit. I started one incarnata from seed last summer and it's much bigger than two rooted transplants I started this spring (two of the three are flowering, though). Next spring, however, after a full year in the ground, building up their root systems, I expect all of them to grow like crazy.

  • Annie
    17 years ago

    Hi,
    I live in the country and have a small homestead. While I was down by the road searching for my guineas's nest the other day, I found a Passion Flower - Maypop vine. It had three slightly wilted exotic looking purple and cream flowers on it, which is what caught my eye. The leaves smelled like gourd or squash leaves. Very stinky.

    It was growing up over a poison ivy thicket near a dry creek bank. The leaves are three-lobed, glossy and quite lovely in their own right, even without the flowers. The stems are brittle and break off easily. The soil is very sandy. It was growing on the east side of the road, in the grader ditch, facing west in tall grasses and weeds. The hill rises up sharply from the road with an eroded cut-bank against the ditch. There are many large native trees and lots of small trees, grasses and other plants, so it was well sheltered.

    It is the only one I have ever come across around here and I have done a good amount of hiking and exploring, searching for wildflowers. It must have been brought in by some kind of animal or bird. My thanks to the critter that ate the fruit and pooped out the seed that was carried by a flash flood that deposited the seed that grew into the vine! (Hehehe) It would be mowed down soon by brushhogs, so I 'rescued' it. I dug it up with ample amount of it's native soil. It is doing fine so far. I put it in a large container next to a dripping swamp cooler so it would stay damp and have access to water until I could plant it. This is day four and she still looks good.

    Now I am thinking - How can I duplicate these growing conditions, without the poison ivy and grasses and weeds? (hehehe) My yard has the same kind of sandy soil. This entire ridge is sandy loam with sandstone bedrock, and it is very dry. On top of that, we are in a severe drought. I have to constantly apply compost and liberal amounts of Leaf Mold (Mulch) and old hay to the sandy soil and then water, water, water almost year round. The sandy soil leaches out all the good nutrients when I water or it rains, year round as fast as I can dig it into my gardens.

    I have a New Dawn rose and a Don Juan climbing rose growing up on either end of a big trellis at the back of an enclosed carport-shop. I was thinking it could go in there amongst the roses and do just fine. Its feet would be in the shade and its head in the sun, and it could climb all it likes. The colors would be lovely together. Good drainage is not a problem in my yard. It would have shade from the late afternoon scorching sun and protection in the winter. It would be sheltered from damaging winds, both the drying, summer winds and winter's icy blue northerns.
    Probably need to run the drip hose on her feet until she gets her roots set and growing. That ought to do it, though, don't you think?

    Since I am a novice at growing these lovely vines, I am putting it to you guys for your advice.

    Thanks.
    ~ SweetAnnie4u

  • lavie
    17 years ago

    I lived in East Texas a couple years ago and found a passion flower growing wild. I tried cuttings to no avail as they wilted to fast. I carried some water with me and dug some up with roots and watered it. I took it home and transplanted it by a archway and it did really well. You will have to keep plenty of water on it till it really gets going good but it should be fine.

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