Before the Story of Pergolatory

I was recently contacted by a new friend on the Facebook Passiflora page and a mutual friend of some other contacts. He had a wealth of information for me regarding the lineage of my plants. In particular it turns out that P. x exoniensis, P. parritae, my former P. 'Mission Dolores', and my recently acquired P. membranacea are all very likely clones of plants that he owned. It's a small (and friendly) passi world as it turns out.

In addition to this information he was kind enough to send along pictures of the plants that he owned!

Exceptional Exoniensis

Passiflora 'exoniensis' bloomed today after a false start yesterday. This is the same plant that escaped Pergolatory through the bamboo last season. It's definitely blooming earlier than last year though, and I've spotted a few other tiny buds. They take quite awhile to mature into fully fledged flowers, but it's completely worth the wait. 

After taking a few dozen pictures of this bright magenta gem, I dabbed some P. trisecta pollen on it that I harvested a day prior. In addition I have a bunch of P. 'Coral Sea' x P. loefgrenii in the front yard and perhaps some P. trisecta x P. loefgrenii in the back. We're off to a great start and it's only April!

Exoniensis Escapade

I took the little path between my house and the condominium complex when I walked home from the grocery today. When I got to the fence that I share with them, I checked out the tops of my bamboo. But, something else caught my eye. Something pink and pendulous was hanging from the bamboo. It was Passiflora exoniensis!! More specifically, it was a withered bloom that I had missed, and when I checked the ground around it, I found one that had dropped!! So I had missed at least two of my first tacsonia blooms!

Well, I pried its wiry grip off of the bamboo and slung it back over the fence the other way toward my pergola. I came around the house, and situated it properly, so that when the next bloom comes to fruition, I'll be sure to see it. What a pity that I missed the others, but at least it's in full health even if it seems to want to run away from home. So, once again, I wait for my first tacsonia blossom.

Hybrid Hopes

With the pest situations under control, and my new passiflora all flourishing, I have a new goal. I hope to breed a new hybrid and give it a registered name! It seems that the number of hybrids on the scene and up for sale lately has grown exponentially. However, I've noticed, or at least perceived a lack of subgenus tacsonia hybrids. Having said that, I do have 'Mission Dolores' in Pergola-tory, but other than that I haven't seen too many others. I was also lucky enough to score a parritae and exoniensis this Spring, and they're both doing marvelously. In fact, I think the botanical zone that I live in is near perfect for them. So, getting back to my goal, I hope that I can create a new tacsonia hybrid, but I could use some advice! Have any of the seasoned veterans of passiflora horticulture tried the tacsonias? What would you recommend as parents? I'm anxious to hear from you!