Passiflora amalocarpa

Natural range and habitat of Passiflora amalocarpa

Passiflora amalocarpa is native to Peru and Brazil. It grows in wet and seasonal forests, often beside rivers or in areas of flooded forest.

Growing Passiflora amalocarpa

• Light: Keep the vine in bright filtered light. A little gentle direct sun can be introduced gradually; provide light shade from intense midday sun behind glass.
• Water: Water thoroughly once the compost surface has dried. Let the excess drain away, then water again before the whole rootball has dried completely.
• Support and pruning: Give the tendrils a trellis or similar support. Guide loose stems with soft ties, and shorten the longest shoots when the vine becomes too large for its space.
• Temperature and humidity: Keep the plant frost-free and away from cold draughts. Warm room temperatures and moderate humidity suit it well; a humidifier can help in very dry rooms.
• Potting mix and feeding: Use freely draining potting compost in a container with drainage holes. Feed on moist compost while new stems are growing, following the fertiliser label, and feed less often when growth slows.
• Repotting: Move up one pot size when roots circle tightly around the rootball. A root-filled pot may also begin drying much faster than usual after watering.

Problems and solutions for Passiflora amalocarpa

• Stems keep lengthening but flowering becomes sparse: The vine may need more light. Move it gradually to a brighter position and provide light shade from intense midday sun behind glass.
• Leaves and shoots lose firmness while the compost is dry: The rootball needs water. Water thoroughly and let the excess drain away.
• Roots turn dark and soft: These signs can indicate root rot. Cut affected roots back to firm healthy tissue with a clean tool, discard all rotten material and repot in fresh, freely draining potting mix in a clean pot with drainage holes.
• Fine pale speckling and fine webbing appear on the leaves: Check the undersides for spider mites. Isolate the plant, rinse the foliage and use a treatment labelled for spider mites on ornamental plants if needed, repeating it only as directed on the label.

Keep Passiflora amalocarpa away from children and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its effects after chewing or swallowing are unclear, and plant material can still cause an upset stomach.
• Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop or do not settle.

What does the name Passiflora amalocarpa mean?

Passiflora combines Latin passio, referring to the Passion of Christ, and flos, “flower”. Amalocarpa joins Greek amalos, “soft” or “tender”, with karpos, “fruit”, describing the fruit as soft or tender.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Passiflora in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 955.

João Barbosa Rodrigues first described Passiflora amalocarpa in 1891 in Vellosia, edition 2, 1, page 29.