banana passionfruit, banana poka
Passiflora tarminiana
Family: Passifloraceae
What it is like
Found in South America, Passiflora tarminiana or commonly known as Banana Passionfruit is a high climbing vine characterized by hairy stems and petioles. The leaves are three-lobed and also hairy. The flowers are large and pink, hang downwards, and the base has pale green bracts. The deep yellow to orange, oblong, aromatic fruits are eaten raw or made into desserts or drinks. Banana passionfruit is native to tropical South America and now widely cultivated throughout the world. It is also known for other common names such as curuba ecuatoriana, curuba India, curuba ecuatoriana, curuba quite?a, tacso amarillo, tumbo (Per?), and banana p_ka.
Passiflora tarminiana is an evergreen Climber growing to 10 m (32ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 10
Where it is found
Not known in a truly wild location, the plant probably arose in cultivation.
S. America - Colombia.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, North America, Peru, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Tasmania, USA, Venezuela,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Fruit - eaten raw or used in ice creams, fruit salads, pies, jellies, to make drinks etc. The yellow, oblong, aromatic fruits are highly prized for their juice. The fruit is about 100 - 140mm long and 35 - 45mm wide. The fruits of this species are a deep yellow to orange colour, the pulp is less aromatic and tart than the flesh of the pale yellow fruits of Passiflora tripartita mollissima, but is also somewhat inferior in flavour
Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.
Sweetener: includes sugar substitutes.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 0
Other Uses None known
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
The plant grows well at elevations between 2,000 - 3,000 metres or even more in the tropics, succeeding at lower elevations as it moves away from the Equator. Requires a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil and a position in dappled shade where it can grow up towards the sun. Passiflora species tend to flower and fruit more freely when grown in soils of only moderate fertility. Prefers a circumneutral soil, disliking very acid or very alkaline conditions. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 7, tolerating 4.3 - 8. A vigorous and disease-resistant species, it has escaped from cultivation in some areas, particularly New Zealand and Hawaii. It can invade native habitats, especially woodlands, and has been declared a noxious weed in both Hawaii and new Zealand. The plant shows more resistance to pests and diseases than the related Passiflora tripartita mollissima. This species hybridizes easily with other species in the subgenus Tacsonia. Hybrids with Passiflora mixta and Passiflora tripartita are fertile and show intermediate phenotypes. Hybrids with Passiflora cumbalensis can also produce fertile seed.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe along with the pulp which will help break down the seed coat and speed up germination. Stored seed should be soaked for 24 hours in warm water and germination time can be reduced if the seed is then mixed with the juice of a fresh passion fruit (of any species). Even so, it can take 12 months for stored seed to germinate. Place the seed tray in a shady position, maintaining a temperature around 19 - 24c. Prick the seedlings out into individual containers as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out when large enough. Cuttings of young shoots, taken at the nodes. Layering. Very easy. Air layering.
Best place to grow:
Habit: Climber
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Fast
Soil: Medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Plants have escaped from cultivation in several areas of the world, and the plant has been declared a noxious weed in America.
Its other names
Local names
Banana passionfruit, Banana Poka, Curuba.
Synonyms
No synonyms are recorded for this name.