Passiflora tricuspis

Botanical identity and natural origin of Passiflora tricuspis

Native to Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay, Passiflora tricuspis grows in several kinds of habitat. In Ceará, Brazil, it occurs in humid forest as well as the seasonally dry vegetation known as Caatinga and Carrasco.

Growing and caring for Passiflora tricuspis

• Light: Bright light with some gentle direct sun helps the vine stay compact and flower well. Increase sun exposure gradually after a move to a brighter place.
• Support: Provide a trellis for the tendrils and use soft ties where loose stems need guidance. Prune the longest stems if the vine needs to be kept compact.
• Water: Water when the compost surface has dried, soaking the whole rootball and letting excess water drain away. Water less often when growth slows.
• Temperature and humidity: Keep the vine warm and protect it from frost and cold draughts. When growth slows, keep it above about 12°C. Moderate room humidity is suitable.
• Compost and feeding: Use freely draining compost in a pot with drainage holes. Apply liquid fertiliser to moist compost while new stems are growing, following the label.
• Repotting: Repot one size up when roots become tightly wrapped around the rootball.
• Propagation: Healthy young shoot cuttings can be rooted in peat-free cutting compost. Keep them warm, in bright filtered light and lightly moist until rooted.

Troubleshooting Passiflora tricuspis

• The vine produces fewer flowers: Low light may be the cause. Move it gradually to a brighter place with some gentle direct sun.
• The vine wilts while the compost is dry: Water shortage is the likely cause. Water the rootball thoroughly and let the excess drain.
• Roots turn dark and soft: These signs can indicate root rot. Cut damaged roots back to firm healthy tissue with a clean tool, discard all rotten material and repot in fresh, freely draining potting mix.
• White waxy insects settle around nodes and leaf bases: 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 tricuspis 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.

Passiflora tricuspis: name and meaning

Passiflora combines Latin passio, referring to the Passion of Christ, and flos, “flower”. Tricuspis joins tri-, “three”, with cuspis, “point” or “spear tip”, describing the three-pointed leaf.

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

Maxwell Tylden Masters first described Passiflora tricuspis in 1872 in Flora Brasiliensis, volume 13, issue 1, page 550.