Passiflora Edulis / Granadilla

Description

The plant that started us out on our nursery path. Granadilla “Ester” is a popular vine grown for the lush foliage and produces heavy crops continuously throughout the year under ideal growing conditions. “Ester” is a cross between the purple (Passiflora edulis f edulis) and the yellow granadilla (Passiflora edulis f flavicarpa). Our plants are cultivated from quality mother material to ensure top production and uniformity. Cultivated correctly you can harvest up to 600 fruit per plant per season.

The plant will bear its first crop within 6-9 months, and will most probably have three flower flushes throughout the year. The plant will reach its peak in the seventh year and will then start deteriorating in production and growth. In the Western Cape there are very little pests and sicknesses that attack granadilla plants as long as the plant remains stress-free. Granadilla’s are very sensitive to strong wind – take prevention to trellis or plant in wind sheltered area.

Planting instructions:

Plant in well drained soil, rich in compost or humus. Idealy cover the area with mulch – chips, bark, etc. This will keep the top feeder roots cool and keep soil moist. Granadilla’s do not perform well under water stress – keep soil moist at all cost, but not saturated. On a trellis, plant 4m apart and 2,5m high. Regularly prune the top vines so that the bottom vines don’t loose productivity/growth. (Don’t let plant umbrella – the top should not shade out the bottom).

Fertilizer:

Plants respond very well to 60g Ammoniumsulphate once a month from September through to April. Please spread 60g over 1 square metre and not directly against trunk. Organic products that works very well are Kelpak or Seagro. Both can be applied once per month (Kelpak 25ml in 5L water or Seagro 20ml in 5L water) around the trunk and can also be applied as a foliar spray(read instructions).