Passiflora foetida, commonly referred to as a stinking passionflower, run-in-a-mist, and running pop, is a woody perennial deciduous tendril-forming vine in the passionflower family of Passifloraceae. It is native to southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and much of South America. The new stem growth of Passiflora foetida is covered in sticky yellow trichomes while older stems undergo secondary growth and turn woody. Passiflora foetida leaves are 2 to 5 inches long, alternating and palmately shaped with 3 to 5 lobes and covered in sticky yellow trichomes. When damaged, Passiflora foetida exudes an odor that many consider unpleasant. Passiflora foetida flowers have 5 white sepels which mimic petals, and 5 white petals. Purple to white corona filaments form a ring above the petals. The flower also has 5 yellowish green stamens and three lime green stigmas. Passiflora foetida fruits are yellow to red with greenish yellow colored hairs covering them. Fruits are small, only around ping-pong ball sized, filled with blue juicy flesh covered black seeds. Passiflora foetida has multiple uses as medicine and as a food crop. The leaves, flowers, and fruit are edible. (Caution: consuming high amounts of raw leaves may expose the body to small amounts of cyanide). Medicinal teas are made out of the flower to battle anxiety and insomnia. Juices can be made from fruit. P. foetida enjoy frequent fertilizations, good support to climb on, and pruning during late winter/early spring before growth begins. Well-drained soil with high organic matter is an ideal medium to grow in. Soil should be kept moist but can occasionally become dry (idealing during winter). The plant enjoys full sun to partial shade. USDA plant hardiness zone 8a-11b.
Passiflora foetida seeds should be pretreated with a light scarification from sandpaper or file which significantly reduces germination time as the seed coat is hard. After scarification, soak the seeds in warm water for 24 to 48 hours prior to planting. Plant the seeds ½ to 1 inch deep in a well draining potting mix. Plant the seeds at least ½ inch apart from each other to prevent overcrowding. Keep in high moisture and humidity but make sure the soil does not stay soaking wet. Ideal germination temperature is between 60°F to 85°F. Germination typically takes 10-21 days with pretreated seeds. Seeds without pretreatment may take months to germinate. Even with optimal conditions, germination may be slow and sporadic.
INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING DISCLAIMER:
All packages will be shipped with basic customs information such as; HS codes, VAT numbers, and properly labeled contents. Unfortunately, The Garden of Set is unable to provide phytosanitary certificates for orders at this time. It is the buyer’s responsibility to know local laws regarding the import of plants, seeds, and plant products into their country. It is also up to the buyer to provide any other customs forms or information required to import plants into their country. If packages get stopped by customs, The Garden of Set will not be able to provide a refund for the purchase. Most of the time packages make it to their destinations just fine, this is for the small minority of packages that get stopped without having all the proper customs information required by the country of import. Purchase at your own discretion.