Passiflora!

Well, I think I've established enough background to finally write about something I'm...passionate...about.. Here it goes!

It was actually my mother's suggestion to find a passion flower vine. In CO it's rare to come across one in the usual botanical markets. She had seen one and planted it outside, knowing that it was doomed come winter. It did very well while it was alive, and of course if you've seen any passion flower, it's hard not to be impressed. So, after some searching at my local garden center, I found one. It wasn't marked with a name tag, so all I knew was that it was healthy and that I would give it a shot on the pergola.

Well, it didn't take long to get established, and then it rocketed up the leg of the pergola. And shortly after that it bloomed profusely. I was thrilled with the new greenery in an otherwise brown, tan, and red brick patio space and I purchased a book to do a little research on my new interest. I picked up "Passiflora: Passion Flowers of the World" by John M. MacDougal. It's hard to imagine a more complete reference. From this book, I think I properly identified my first passiflora as caerulea x belotii.

After looking at all of the different species and hybrids available on the market, I soon had passiflora planted at each of the four supports to the pergola. Logee's Greenhouse supplied me with several healthy specimens. I keep meticulous records in a spreadsheet, so here is everything that I've planted to date:

• P. incarnata (Maypop)
• P. edulis (Possum Purple)
• P. quadrangularis
• P. triloba
• P. piresii 
• P. 'Blue Boquet' 
• ((amethystina × caerulea) × (amethystina × caerulea)) × caerulea
• P. 'Moniker Fischer' 
• (incarnata ×  amethystina)4n × (kermesina x caerulea)4n
• P. 'Blue-Eyed Susan' 
• (incarnata × edulis) × (incarnata × cincinnata)
• P. 'Star of Surbiton' 
• 'Amethyst' × caerulea
• P. 'Lady Margaret' 
• coccinea × incarnata
• P. 'Coral Glow'
• manicata? × ((mixta × tripartita var. mollissima) × (mixta × tripartita var. mollissima))
• P. 'Anastasia'
• gritensis × caerulea 'Constance Elliot'
• P. 'Pura Vida'
• 'Amethyst' × racemosa
• P. 'Saphire'
• edulis × caerulea
• P. 'Warmlands'
• vitifolia × macrocarpa

Now after the pest episode, I know I lost P. quadragularis. I may have lost 'Pura Vida', 'Anastasia', and 'Coral Glow'. They took it pretty hard and are without leaves now. P. piresii and P. incarnata have a couple of leaves between them. I remain hopeful that they recover now that I have the pests at least under control. The weather in addition to being foggy has been exceptionally warm (in the upper 70's, low 80's), so that may help. All of the other plants are looking good and getting better. I had to cut them back pretty aggressively in order to get a handle on the spider mites, but they're climbing back up the pergola again. I can't wait for Spring!

That brings it up to speed except for my new plants on order. I went a little bonkers and picked up some pretty special plants that should be delivered in March and April. I'm most excited about P. parritae, P. cyanea, 'Manta' (xiikzodz  × coriacea) coming from Grassy Knoll Exotic Plants. If I don't have hummingbirds squabbling every day this Spring, then I will be surprised. Here are some photos from last Spring and Summer before I had to hack everything back to control the mites.

Compare these pictures to the very first picture of my blog, and try to tell me that it was better with that stupid tree. I'm hoping that the neighbors have seen the light (figuratively and literally).