Giant Granadilla, Badea
Passiflora quadrangularis
Family: Passifloraceae
What it is like
Passiflora quadrangularis or commonly known as Giant Granadilla is a fast-growing tropical vine with fleshy tubers. It can be up to 15m long. The tendrils are pale green, coiled in a spiral, and not branched. The leaves are large and green or purple. The flowers are scented, occur singly, white and purple, and characterized with red dots. The fruits are greenish yellow and comprised with black seeds. It is the largest fruit in the Passiflora genus. Medicinally, the root and leaves are used as a soothing poultice for the treatment of liver problems. The fruit, on the other hand, is used in the treatment of headaches, asthma, diarrhea, dysentery, neurasthenia, and insomnia. The fruit is edible, often eaten raw when ripe, cooked, or made into drinks. Immature fruits are used as a vegetable. Roots of old plants are baked or roasted. Other common names include barbadine, grenadene, giant tumbo, and badea.
Passiflora quadrangularis is an evergreen Climber growing to 15 m (49ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The plant is not self-fertile. 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): 15
Where it is found
Flood plains in the rainforests.
Original range unknown, it is widespread in the Tropics.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Amazon, Asia, Australia, Bolivia*, Brazil*, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, Colombia*, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Ghana, Guiana, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Peru*, Philippines, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South America, Suriname, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe,
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Fruit - raw, cooked or used to make drinks. Sweetly acid. Very palatable. The largest fruit of the genus, it is up to 30cm long and has a mild, melon-like flavour. The immature fruit is used as a vegetable - it can be steamed or boiled or added to soups. The thick rind of the fruit is cooked in various ways and used as a vegetable. The fruit is often used to made juices. The roots of old plants are baked or roasted and eaten like yams (Dioscorea spp). Some caution is advised, since the raw root is narcotic and poisonous.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Drink: not including plant saps, tea or coffee substitutes.
Sweetener: includes sugar substitutes.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The root is diuretic, emetic, narcotic and vermifuge. It contains passiflorine, an anthelmintic that also causes lethargy. When powdered and mixed with oil, the root is used externally as a soothing poultice. The leaves are powdered and mixed with oil then used externally as a soothing poultice. They are also used in this form to treat liver complaints. The fruit is antiscorbutic and stomachic. The rind of the fruit is sedative. It is used in the treatment of headaches, asthma, diarrhoea, dysentery, neurasthenia and insomnia.
Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.
Antiasthmatic: Treats asthma.
Antidiarrhoeal: Provides symptomatic relief for diarrhoea. Also see Astringent.
Antiscorbutic: A plant rich in vitamin C that is used to counteract scurvy.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.
Emetic: Induces vomiting.
Narcotic: Relieves pain, induces drowsiness and gives a sense of well-being.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Vermifuge: Expels and kills internal parasites.
Other
Rating: 0
Other Uses None known
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Succeeds in the hot, wet, lowlands to moderate elevations in tropical to subtropical climates. Plants require a temperature no lower than around 16°c when they are flowering in order to ensure fruit set. They can be damaged if temperatures fall much below 10°c. Requires a humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil and a position in dappled shade where it can grow up towards the sun. Prefers a circumneutral soil, disliking very acid or very alkaline conditions. Passiflora species tend to flower and fruit more freely when grown in soils of only moderate fertility. Seedling plants can commence fruiting when only 1 - 2 years old, whilst cuttings have been known to fruit in their first year of growth. Plants can flower and fruit all year round. A self-sterile species. Plants are very tolerant of pruning and can be cut back to ground level if required to rejuvenate the plant. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Flowering Time: Blooms repeatedly. Bloom Color: Red Violet/Lavender White/Near White. Spacing: 24-36 in. (60-90 cm).
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. The cuttings root best in a neutral to slightly acid compost, but 100% sharp sand also produces good results. Cuttings of fully mature wood taken at a node. They can take 3 months, but there is usually a high percentage. 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
The raw root is a potent narcotic and poisonous. The noxious effects of the poison can be counteracted by a decoction of Petiveria alliacea, Cassia sp,, Andropogon sp., and 'bois-trompette'. (Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested)
Its other names
Local names
Giant Granadilla, Badea, Akar mentimun, Badea, Barbadine, Belewa, Chum bao dua, Corvejo, Dua gang tay, Erbis, Gendola, Giant granadilla, Granadilla de fresco, Granadilla grande, Granadilla real, Karora chi, Kasaflora, Manesa, Markiza, Markoesa, Marquesa, Masaflula, Mentimun, Panthao milao, Parcha, Percha granadina, Qaranidila, Sao warot, Sapthailempa, Sukhontharot, Taeng kalaa, Telur dewa, Timun belanda, Timun hatan, Tambo, Tumbo, barbadin, drap, giant granadilla|ratapuhul / tun tun, giant tumbo, granadilla, granadilla real, grenadine, kabuna, königs-grenadille, maracujá-açú, maracujá-mamão, maracujá-melão, maracujá-uaçu, riesen-grenadille, true granadilla, wahamtari.
Synonyms
Passiflora grandiflora Salisb. Passiflora macrocarpa Mast. Passiflora sulcata Jacq. Passiflora tetra