The very aggressive incarnata that came from my neighbor's yard has both 3 and 5 lobed leaves on the same vine (I think). It seems that way, although I suppose two vines could be intertwined. It's not that hard to control, I cut it off my trees and shrubs every couple of months :-)

It's only grown this much in the past two years and she seems to believe that it came from my yard a few years ago, before we moved here.

I have no real point with this rambling, just offering my experience. I wouldn't mind it if it didn't try to smother everything else.

This doesn't answer your question, but the incarnata I had was way too agressive me. It came up everywhere from roots many feet away from the original plant. I tried growing it in a huge pot, but it didn't like it. It wilted, lanquished and finally died.

Passiflora caerulea, or Blue crown, is much better behaved and the Gulf fritillary butterflies love it. Their caterpillars eat it to the nubs some years, but the leaves pop out again and it keeps flowering through it all.

pkponder: You reminded me of other vines I've seen with different shaped leaves on the same plant. Possibly the absence of 3-lobed leaves is a meaningful difference between the native and Asian hybrids? In fairness, it was stated more as a hunch in the Wasowski book. Here's the quote:
If your passionflower is vigorous and rampant and can climb without your help, I'll bet the leaves are five-lobed rather than three. That means yours is naturalized from Asia. Our native is much better behaved." pg 361

roselee: Learning p. incarnata was too aggressive even for you is a big help - thanks! Had been thinking of trying one on the property line, but now know I'd never put it anywhere without access to all sides. My favorite endorsement found elsewhere on GW was "it's not as bad as campsis radicans".

Will take a closer look at p. caerulea and other varieties.

The Passiflora lutea that volunteers in my yard has three lobes. It has absolutely gorgeous foliage until the Gulf frit butterflies find it and lay their eggs, but I begruge them only a little. The flowers are not very showy, but the orderly way the foliage presents itself is appreciated.

I also enjoyed Passiflora foetida, 'Love in a mist'. It had pink flowers, red fruit and slightly fuzzy leaves, was not overly agressive, and the caterpillers loved it, but it didn't come back one year. I'd like to have it again. Anybody got seeds?

Here is a link that might be useful: P. lutea ...

Here's photos of P. foetida, 'Love in a mist'. The seed capsule was enclosed in the 'mist' as were the flower buds, and eventually turned red. Very Showy plant.

A certain species of bumblebees were very attracted to it.

Any body out there growing it?

Those p. foetida flowers (and bee) are beautiful - nice photos! Unfortunately it looks like the American natives and all of the import hybrids other than p. incarnata and p. lutea are marginal if unprotected in our zone 8a. If true, all but these two will surely die in my care within a couple seasons.

Would be nice to have the striking flowers, but mainly motivated to use some bare alley fence space for additional butterfly host plants. Would like to consider birdwing passionflower (p. tenuiloba) due to its unusual leaves, but have not been able to find hardiness info or a source - am guessing it is also marginal in our area. So, will likely give p. lutea a shot - thanks for the favorable comments about it.

This post was edited by bostedo on Tue, Oct 22, 13 at 16:49

The drought killed off almost all of the native P. lutea around here. Native Bracted Passionflower, P. affinis, is a vining passie that is not aggressive here...it is doing very well this year, one climbed into the trees and flowered a lot, now there's quite a few berries up there. The native P. incarnata does spread, but I don't mind too much...it's pretty when blooming. P. caerulea is half native, spreads quite a bit, but the blooms are worth it. Incense (hybrid, I think) has big, gorgeous purple flowers, spreads less than P. caerulea or P. incarnata for me. I've got native P. foetida var. gossypifolia, not very aggressive here, nice flowers.
Bracted Passionflower:

Linda, you have mail ... :-)

Roselee the Botanical Society I think has foetida and incarnata for sale this Saturday.

Joey, thanks!

roselee I have foetida. It just started to bloom so no fruit yet. But I might find a seedling around. The incarnate incense takes over. Let me know if you are still looking after the Sat. event and I'll find you one. Bet if I mailed it on a Monday it would make it to you by Thursday...alive.
My squirrels usually eat the fruit...guess they "plant" the seeds too!

linda_tx8: Your Bracted Passionflower is very nice and a bit of a rarity. Thanks for posting the photo. Not sure how it would do in our heavy clay this far above and east of its native range (n. side of Dallas), but am adding to my wish/watch list.

Cynthia, you have mail ... :-)

One of my gardening friends in Heath TX on Lake Ray Hubbard can barely get passion vine/flower to grow let alone bloom (this is her fourth try). The Gulf Fritillary caterpillars destroy the plant in two days. Anybody know how to protect new plants without chemicals? (She's growing from seed). I have 5 seedlings in my greenhouse. Don't know if 3 or 5 lobe or name.

One of my gardening friends in Heath TX on Lake Ray Hubbard can barely get passion vine/flower to grow let alone bloom (this is her fourth try). The Gulf Fritillary caterpillars destroy the plant in two days. Anybody know how to protect new plants without chemicals? (She's growing from seed). I have 5 seedlings in my greenhouse. Don't know if 3 or 5 lobe or name.

What about small bird netting or light shade cloth? I bet even inexpensive nylon netting fabric (the stuff that looks like window screen, but is very lightweight and flexible) from Wal Mart would work if supported and draped over the plants.

The Gulf Frit cats do decimate my leaves, but once they have moved on, the vines recover and re-leaf. I actually grow the passionvine for the butterflies and cats. I like the butterflies more than the blooms but most years I get both. Has she tried larger plants or waiting until they leaf back out before declaring them dead?

Did manage to get the more docile p. lutea in on the fall plant order. It is rather small and sad looking at the moment, but have it in the ground and looking forward to seeing how it does next season. Thanks again for the help!

Of course it's foliage is distressed, but yours has a very thick main stalk. Mine grows native and pops up all over the garden and looks very fragile in comparison. This looks to be a strong and mature plant.

Great find!

Just an update: the p. lutea (yellow passionflower) finally bloomed on new vines that came up a couple feet from the parent more than 24 months after it was planted.

The original vine is still growing, but has never been robust enough to flower or even make it to the top of the fence. Foliage is not very dense yet, but the new growth is strong and looking like it might eventually do okay in this site.

It's in a fairly shady spot on the west side of a fence - so no chance of any direct light in the morning and little in the afternoon due to neighboring trees. Thought this was why the original vine was so lethargic, but the children don't seem too hampered by the lack of light and are pretty well covered with buds even in the shadiest areas. The new vines have just topped the fence where they can catch significantly more light, so waiting to see if that changes things.

The flowers are very pretty, though small and inconspicuous. I like the large-leaf foliage in contrast to our coral honeysuckle, cross vine, clematis, and VA creeper and hoping it will eventually fill out enough to support some cats.

Linda, if you see a baby or seed pod of the bract milkweed, I sure would be interested.