If you have eaten sweet granadilla fruits before, then you surely would need to taste passiflora caerulea fruits also. Both plants are members of the passiflora family; a climbing tree that can grow from 20 to 40 feet.
Passiflora caerulea is an ever green plant with blue-white flower, with a prominent fringe of coronal filaments in bands of blue, white, yellow, and brown. The fruit is ovoid in shape, the color is orange with reddish pulp which is edible when ripe but bland. Unlike Passiflora edulis, Passiflora caerulea fruits are not have not taste of its own. When unripe, the fruit can be toxic.
How do you use passion fruit?
It is important you allow passion fruits to drop on the ground on its own before picking them for consumption. The reason for this is because the fruits can be toxic when unripe and forcefully plucked from the tree.
After the fruits have dropped down, cut it into two and use a clean spoon to scoop the fruit pulp. Remember that the fruit rind of Passiflora caerulea is not edible. So, when you scoop the pulp out, you can throw the rind away.
Passiflora caerulea tea
As a herbal plant of the South American traditional medicines, blue passion flower leaves and root can be made into a herbal tea and taken for various medicinal problems.
How to grow and for passiflora caerulea
Aside being used for medicinal purposes, Passiflora caerulea is also used for ornamental purposes. Its blue-white flower makes the environment look great, and the ever green leaves are a plus to the vegetation.
As a climber, Passiflora caerulea can be grown on a fence or near a tree which it can climb and use for a support.
Passiflora caerulea requires maximum sunlight
Just before you contemplate growing blue passion flower, do well to remember that it requires maximum exposure to sunlight. At the minimum, blue passion flower plants can would manage 5 or 4 hr sunlight. It doesn’t do well in shaded area.
Passiflora caerulea can be grown indoors or in the garden
The plant tree is not limited to outdoor growth alone. You can also grow blue passion flower plant in a pot at your balcony.
However, whatever your decision may be, the need for maximum direct sunlight should be put into consideration. This means that if you wish to grow the flower in a pot, you must locate a corner where the plant can receive at minimum, 4hrs of direct sunlight.
Soil requirements of blue passion flower
When selecting the soil type to grow your passion flower, go for the soil that has adequate soil nutrients. however, it should not contain too much compost manure, as this may only improve it lushness but will affect the flower production negatively.
The soil must possess adequate water holding capacity with well drainage system. The soil pH may not be necessary. Ensure you provide adequate compost manure as the plant keep growing, and also ensure you mulch the plant. Mulching is very important for the plant’s survival, especially during winter in cold zones.
For best growth, plant your blue passion flower in the Spring or Fall. After planting, ensure you provided them with support in the form of stakes, fence, or plant them near a tree which it can climb effortlessly. The negative implication of this is that planting Passiflora caerulea close to a fruit producing plant is that it may negatively affect the fruit production of the plant.
Water and temperature requirement of Passiflora caerulea
Passiflora caerulea does not require too much water. After planting the seeds or cuttings, ensure that you provided adequate water for the plant’s germination. That’s the only time you are required to make water available for the flowering plant. The root system of blue passion flower is strong enough to assimilate water from the soil.
Passion flower cherishes warm weather. This may rightly be explained by its requirement of a minimum of 4hrs direct exposure to sunlight. In a cold region, you may need to bring your plant indoors if you had planted them in a pot. Also, protect them from the hash effect of strong winds. For the humidity, blue passion flower does well in an area with moderate to high humidity.
Plant either the seeds or stem cuttings
When growing your Passiflora caerulea, you may choose which to plant between the seeds and the stem cuttings. For quicker growth, i think it is best to plant the stem cuttings in your garden or farmland. However, if you choose the seeds, it is not a bad idea at all. Whatever your choice, ensure you meet the environmental requirements for proper growth.
How to grow Pasiflora caerulea from the seeds
Before planting the seeds of blue passion flower, you must know that the seeds must have been harvested from the previous season, dried and stored for the next season. If that’s what you did, kudos! You are now ready for the new planting season.
Having gotten the nursery bed ready, here are the steps you should follow to grow your blue passion fruits:
Soak you plant seeds in warm water: This process helps you to jumpstart the germination process of the seeds. Watch out for those seeds that float o the water surface and discard them. Those are bad seeds and not good for germination. Scarify the seeds if need be, but be careful not to damage the seeds while scarifying them.
Place your seeds on the surface of the soil: If you are using a pot, fill it with damp compost mix and place the seed on the surface of the soil. Do not bury or cover them with the soil, as the seed require maximum sunlight to germinate. The next thing is to wrap the pot with plastic bag to retain water. Next, place the pot in a warm place that protects the seed from direct sunlight.
Check for sprouts: Now, you should watch out for sprouts from the seeds. Once you begin to see sprouts from the seeds, move the pot to a warmer place and to direct sunlight.
repot your seedlings if needed: By this stage, you can repot your seedlings to a new pot or garden. the repotting should be done in a place where the plant can receive adequate and full sunlight. You should not forget to make provisions for support like stakes, fences or tree.
Pests control for Passiflora caerulea
The common pests for Passiflora caerulea are whiteflies, spider mites, and scale. These pests are highly destructible, but can be controlled by spraying pesticides made for them on the plant. Also, provide supports for the plant to avoid clumping up on the ground.
Health benefits of Passiflora caerulea
You have already known that passion flowers are rich source of phytonutrients that are highly beneficial for your health and daily cellular needs. The same is applicable to passiflora caerulea specie of the passion flower family.
The fruits of Passiflora caerulea is fortified with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, the B vitamins and vitamin C. Some of the bioactive compounds found i the leaves and roots include Quercetin, Linoleic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid, oleic acid, flavonoids, quinones, and polyphenols.
Blue passion fruits for improve memory
Passion fruits in general are known to improve your brain functions including learning, retention, and memory.
Eat more of passing fruits daily to get the best of these qualities. Also do your children good by buying passion fruits for them on a regular basis.
The brain functioning improvement of blue passion fruits may be due to the presence of the vitamins and minerals, especially the B vitamins and iron.
Read also: 15 Reasons you should eat rambutan fruits often
Passion fruit seed extract for dementia
The seeds of passion fruits possess bioactive phytonutrients that are beneficial for an Alzheimer’s disease patient. According to the study, piceatannol was able to prevent Aβ‐induced neurite fragmentation and neuronal cell death in an AD cell model using neuron‐like differentiated human SH‐SY5Y cells.
This study results shows that like in younger children, older people should also find pleasure in eating the fruit and seeds of passion fruits to prevent the degeneration of brain cells and functions that usually come with old age.
Passiflora caerulea improves vision
The fruits of Passiflora caerulea are packed with vitamin A and strong antioxidants. These compounds prevent the gradual degeneration of the retinoid muscles. When the retina muscles become weak, your eyes would loose the the capacity for vision, and therefore develop cataract and night blindness due to vitamin A deficiency.
Aside vitamin A the fruits also possess Iron that helps in transporting oxygenated blood to the eyes.
Manages stress and anxiety
Magnesium is very good for regulating your blood pressure and anxiety. Magnesium is involved in the mechanism that stimulates the production of serotonin and melatonin. Both compounds are responsible for boosting your mood, and improve your sleep hour.
Magnesium is also involved in the prevention of the production of cortisol and cytokines, which are responsible for increased inflammatory responses and stress. So a regular consumption of granadilla fruits and seeds will help you feel relaxed and happy.
The fact that blue passion flower fruits possess a good amount of this mineral is an indication that you should eat the fruits for a happy mood and stress free day.
May be good for pregnancy
Most passion fruits are very good for pregnant women. This is due to the presence of folate and other vitamins and minerals present in the fruit pulp and seeds. However, caution is required with regard to Passiflora caerulea fruits, since it can be toxic when unripe.
Do not eat the fruit while pregnant without your doctor’s prescriptions.
Read also: Miracle seeds for fertility and detoxification
Passiflora caerulea can boost your immunity
Passiflora caerulea possess antimicrobial activities against some disease pathogens. Also, the fruit may contain zinc, which is an immune regulator. Generally, passion flowers are known to boost immune system and protect your body from oxidative stress.
References
Sato A, Tagai N, Ogino Y, Uozumi H, Kawakami S, Yamamoto T, Tanuma SI, Maruki-Uchida H, Mori S, Morita M. Passion fruit seed extract protects beta-amyloid-induced neuronal cell death in a differentiated human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell model. Food Sci Nutr. 2022 Feb 2;10(5):1461-1468.
