Passiflora boenderi

Natural origin and cultivation history of Passiflora boenderi

Passiflora boenderi is native only to Costa Rica, where it grows in wet foothill forest in the central part of the country, climbing shrubs and small trees.

Plants collected there in 1992 brought the species into cultivation.

Care for Passiflora boenderi

• Warmth: Keep this vine warm, preferably around 16°C or above while new stems are developing. When growth slows, keep it at or above about 10°C and protect it from frost and cold draughts.
• Humidity: Aim for at least about 40% relative humidity. A humidifier can help if the room stays drier than this for long periods.
• Light: Bright indirect light or dappled sun suits this vine. Introduce stronger light gradually, especially close to glass.
• Water: Water once the compost surface has dried, soaking the rootball thoroughly and letting the excess drain. Water again before the whole rootball becomes dry.
• Support: Give the tendrils a trellis and use soft ties only where a stem needs help reaching it. Shorten the longest shoots if the vine outgrows its space.
• Potting mix and feeding: Use a loose, freely draining mix in a pot with drainage holes. Feed while the vine is growing, following the fertiliser label, and reduce feeding when growth slows.
• Repotting: Repot one size up when roots circle tightly around the rootball, keeping the rootball mostly intact.
• Propagation: Soft, non-flowering shoots can be rooted in peat-free cutting compost. Keep the cuttings warm, bright and lightly moist while they root.

Health problems and solutions for Passiflora boenderi

• The patterned leaves droop while the compost is dry: The rootball has become too dry. Water thoroughly and let the pot drain, then check the compost a little sooner next time.
• Pale, dry patches appear after a move into stronger sun: The leaves may be scorched. Return the plant to filtered light and introduce stronger light more gradually.
• 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 for spider mites, especially underneath the leaves. 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.
• White waxy insects gather at leaf joints or in tight crevices: Check for mealybugs. Isolate the vine, remove visible insects and use a treatment labelled for mealybugs on ornamental plants if needed, repeating it only as directed on the label.

Keep Passiflora boenderi 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 Passiflora boenderi mean, and who first published it?

Passiflora combines Latin passio, referring to the Passion of Christ, and flos, “flower”. Boenderi honours Ronald Boender.

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

John M. MacDougal first described Passiflora boenderi in 2003 in Novon, volume 13, page 454.