At the time of plant selection, mainly you would look for a plant having two basic outcomes. One it should be a great addition in terms of ornamental value and the other that it should fulfill the basic purpose of eating and enjoying the fruit. Those plants containing both properties are perfect for every gardener’s home garden.
If you are looking for the same species of plants, through which you can have multiple benefits besides being a great value for decorating the garden then you need to learn how to grow banana passion fruit from seeds.
Banana Passion Fruit
Botanically known as Passiflora or Passiflora Mixta, this plant is native to central and south American countries. This plant is an evergreen plant. It can grow up to 30 feet. It bears flowers and fruits the whole year but the fruit production time starts when it is one year old.
Fruits, Flowers, and Leaves
This plant can last for 15 to 20 years, so once planted you don’t need to worry about the space to fill every year. It has hanging, single flowers which have tubes in them. Flowers usually have a diameter of around 7cm.
The tubes in the flowers are 8 to 9 cm long, and the banana passion fruit plants bear flowers the whole year from January to December.
The fruit has thin skin, and it is oval-shaped. Its length is around 12 cm and 3 cm in width. It is initially green and turns to yellow gradually, finally in ripen stage turns into orange-yellow color. This fruit have smell like orange and has red-black seeds. One vine can bear 200 to 300 fruits at a time.
The leaves are soft and long. These can grow up to 5 to 14 cm long. The leaves are soft, and the stems are hairy in nature.
Why Plant Banana Passion Fruit?
There are many benefits of the plantation of banana passion fruit. First of all, you would be able to get the vine which will cover any fence, wall, or side, with its ever-green leaves and beautiful flowers.
Characteristics of Banana passion Fruit
Also, the fruit of this plant is edible. This will provide you with a good harvest if you want to eat. Also, banana passion fruit is used in many dishes and most of the time in drinks to add flavor. Its orange-like aroma takes the joy of drinks to next level.
Also, this plant is native to south and central America, but now it has now spread and grown in all parts of the world. It can be grown in all inhabited areas and in the USA it is commonly found in the areas of Hawaii. So, it can be grown in other parts as well.
This plant is easy to take care of. You just need to provide the minimum required moisture and sunlight. As this is an ever-green plant you can have fruit and flowers at any time of the year. These plants last longer and have quite exponential tendencies.
How to Grow Banana Passion Fruit from Seeds
This plant can be propagated by the use of the stems of vines which are usually found in areas of high altitude. But here we will tell you how to plant these fruits from seeds.
Getting the Seeds
Get the seed of the banana passion fruit. Make sure all the seeds are well and healthy. Actually, the banana passion fruit seeds have slow germination. You would have to soak the seeds for 24 to 48 hours in lukewarm water before planting the seeds.
Alongside soaking, you can scarify the seeds to make sure that germination of the seeds is successful to the most possible percentage.
Sowing the Seeds
Now as seeds are soaked and scarification is done, it’s time to sow them. Get the soil mixed with the organic compost, you have to use sterile soil for seed germination. It will make sure the presence of required nutrients. Then sow the seeds deep around half to one inch. Cover the seeds lightly with a thin layer of soil.
Make sure the soil temperature remains between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, it may take a very long time to sprout. Well-mixed and moistened soil will also help in rapid germination.
Add water to the sown seeds. So that it gets enough of the moisture. Keep the moisture up and look for any weeds sprouting there. and take them out.
It will take around 6 to 10 weeks to germinate. Some hard seeds can take 6 and some even can take 12 months to sprout. But most of the germination will happen in 6 to 10 weeks.
Propagation of the Banana Passion Fruit Seedlings
You can transplant the plants once they are at least three months old. Till then take keen care of them.
Selection of Spot
It grows well in warm and mild climates. It can tolerate the brief winter season but not so long. The plant will die and grow again in the spring if winter is too long and harsh.
Select the space which has some support or space to make a support, because it is a vine. Once selected make small holes at a distance of around 2 meters from one another. You will need support for the plant to grow steadily.
Soil Preparation
Till the soil well so that it is weed-free, and the roots of the seedlings can penetrate faster. Now add some organic fertilizer or mixture to keep up with the required nutrients. Once prepared, make holes for the plant to be planted.
Transplanting the Plants
Now you can transplant the seedlings into the holes, or into your container. Make sure the root ball of the plants is covered and fill the hole with soil. gently press the soil around the plant and add water to the plant.
Add enough water that it reaches the roots of the plant. Once established keep the moisture checked and in place. It will bear fruit after at least one full year. For this period, you have to wait and take proper care of it.
Taking Care of Banana Passion Fruit Plants
Taking care of these plants is not so difficult. As this is an evergreen plant, it signals whenever it needs something to grow.
Watering the Banana Passion Fruit
Water the plant as it indicates the need for water. Don’t add too much water because it grows very fast resulting in an uncontrollable vine. So, provide the necessary amount of water to ensure the proper growth, not the exponential one.
Requirement of Sunlight for Banana Passion Fruit
This plant grows well in warm and mild conditions. So, exposure to the sun will be beneficial for it to grow constantly. Harsh sunlight might require more requirement of water.
Pests and Diseases of Banana Passion Fruit Plants
If the climate is humid and dry this plant might get attacked by nematodes. Leaves and shoots of the plants might get attacked by the leafhoppers. Young sprouts might get attacked by powdery mildew, and fruits are sometimes attacked by fruit flies.
It also might get attacked by the mites also. You need to keep a proper watch, and if there is an attack. Consult with the nearby horticulturist according to symptoms and intensity of the attack, to use any remedy.
Is Banana Passion Fruit itself a Pest?
No, banana passion fruit itself is not a pest, rather it is an innocent and very fruitful vine which have multiple benefits. It is said to be a pest because it grows rapidly. In many wild places with its insane growth, it blocks the sunlight for many trees and plants.
This resulted in the death of those plants which were not able to get the required sunlight. That’s why it is called a pest. You need to take care of it that it is not spreading beyond your will. You can cut it or use any herbicides to tackle its unwanted growth.
Fruiting and Usage of Banana Passion Fruit
As it is an evergreen plant, it keeps blooming and fruiting for the whole year. Usually, the peak season for its fruit is march, April, September, and October. You can see the fruit when it has turned yellow it is ripening. You can pick the fruit when it has turned to orange-yellow color.
Usage of Banana Passion Fruit
Banana Passion fruit is most of the time used in drinks to flavor them. This fruit has an orange-like aroma which makes it quite attractive. It is also eaten in raw form. It is quite delicious to eat. Once grown vines bear a lot of fruit i.e., one vine care bear around 300 Banana Passion Fruits.
So, this plant can be a great addition to the garden as it has both the qualities of decoration value and edibility.
On the other hand, to keep it away from becoming invasive you need to take care of it in the sense of growth. Then you are good to enjoy the fruit which is abundant and has multiple uses. You can enjoy it anyway.
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References
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-banana-passion-fruit-grow-86279.html
