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Fairburn, GA on May 20, 2012

Our garden is way past its usual condition for this time of year.

I took some photos of the passion vines and their flowers. They are well in advance of their normal state, I guess it is because the spring was so warm. They were out of the ground a month sooner than usual and the flowers are just everywhere. And of course the aroma around the plants is beyond description. The only thing I know that is remotely similar is a Gardenia. Of course a Gardenia is much sweeter of a smell but they are both very strong and very pleasant, at least to us, and we love the fruit from the passion vine as well.

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Paul M Fairburn, GA

The vine will make a golf ball sized, or larger, fruit. Starting in the early fall these green spheres will begin to get a bit of a golden hue to them and most of the time they will fall off. That is when they need to be harvested and put up for a bit until the skin begins to wrinkle. After they husk begins to wrinkle a bit the fruit is at is sweetest and can be eaten. Actually you could eat them sooner than that but they are very tart if you get them too early. The fruit is much like a ...»
pomegranate and has a corpuscle of juice and pulp around a seed. When you eat them you could eat the seed too, they are harmless, but I usually separate the seed from the pulp, just like a pomegranate, and spit the seed in a cup so I can save them. That is how the seeds are harvested at our house anyway. I have been trying to find a way to juice them but I have not found a good method yet.
These fruits are grown commercially in areas of Mexico and are sold in the open air markets there. I found that out a few years ago when I was searching for a juicing method. I don't know why they are not sold here and grown here too. Since they are native to the area they are not hard to grow at all. And even in a drought we will get some fruit.
I did a quick search and found this link to some very helpful information and source for seeds as well. I hope this helps.
Good luck to you all.

on May 22, 2012 · Like 1

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Our garden is way past its usual condition for this time of year.

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