Passion fruit
Passiflora edulis Sims
Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) is a vine of the passionflower family; its round purple or yellow fruit holds intensely aromatic sweet-tart golden pulp — used for drinks, smoothies, jam and flavourings.
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Passion fruitOverview
Passion fruit is a small woody perennial vine that climbs by tendrils and can reach 5–10 m; its alternate leaves are deeply three-lobed and glossy above. The large, unusual flowers have white and purple petals with a filamentous corona. The fruit is spherical to oval, 5–8 cm long, with a hard, shiny purple (or yellow) rind that wrinkles slightly when ripe; inside, juicy golden pulp surrounds many flat dark-brown seeds.
Passion fruit originated in South America (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay) and is grown throughout the tropics; in Vietnam it is cultivated mainly in the Central Highlands (Đắk Nông, Lâm Đồng) and Nghệ An. The pulp is used for drinks, smoothies, jam, salad dressings and desserts, and its strong aroma makes it a food flavouring. Passionflower leaves and flowers are also used in folk medicine as a sedative.
Distribution & origin
Share of recorded occurrences by region- Brazil30%
- Vietnam (Central Highlands)20%
- Others50%
Chemical composition
Relative content in agarwood resin- Vitamin CAntioxidant35%
- Dietary fibreSupports digestion35%
- Aromatic compoundsIntense aroma30%
Uses
- Drinks and smoothies
- Jam, salad dressing, desserts
- Food flavouring; leaves as a sedative
Properties
- Taste
- Sweet-tart, intensely aromatic
- Value
- Rich in vitamin C and fibre
Habitat & conservation
Humid tropics; friable soil; needs a trellis; tolerates light cold.
Conservation
Widely cultivated in the tropics; not threatened.
References
- 1Kew Science – Plants of the World Online: Passiflora edulis — Kew (Plants of the World Online), 2026
- 2Wikipedia – Passiflora edulis — Wikipedia, 2026