Illustration
Passionflower
Passiflora
Passionflower blooms from July through September.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Passionflower
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 6–9. Expect it to reach about 13 ft tall and 5 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 3 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Passionflower
Plant Passionflower in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 7, the middle of its hardy zones 6 to 9, spring means March to May and fall means September or October. Once settled, it blooms from July to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 7, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 7 in March. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Passionflower get?
13 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult5 ftwideSee Passionflower in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Passionflower
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Passionflower about 5 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Passionflower to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Passionflower's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 7 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenPassiflora incarnataheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenPassiflora caeruleaheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPassiflora caeruleaheight, spread, hardiness zones and sun
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower CenterPassiflora incarnataheight, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPassiflora incarnatahardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Florida IFASPassion Flowerhardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Oregon State UniversityPassiflora caeruleahardiness zones
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 4 varieties across 3 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every variety in the Passionflower group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Crown | Blue | Jul–Sep | Zones 6–9 | Full sun | 13 ft × 5 ft |
| Constance Elliott | White | Jul–Sep | Zones 6–9 | Full sun | 13 ft × 5 ft |
| Lady Margaret | Pink | Jul–Sep | Zones 7–10 | Full sun | 13 ft × 5 ft |
| Passionflowerthis page | Purple | Jul–Sep | Zones 6–9 | Full sun | 13 ft × 5 ft |
| Red | Red | Jul–Sep | Zones 10–11 | Full sun | 13 ft × 5 ft |
Good to know about Passionflower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
Leaves, stems and unripe fruit hold cyanogenic glycosides, a medium-severity poison; eating them can cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and irregular heartbeat. Ripe fruit is safe. per NC State
Worth knowing
It is a caterpillar host: gulf fritillary and other fritillary larvae eat the leaves. Chewed foliage in summer is the wildlife payoff, not a pest to spray. per NC State and UF/IFAS
Cold limit varies by source
Sources split: some say zone 5 to 9, others 6 to 9 or 7B to 11. Zone 5 gardeners can grow it as a root-hardy die-back perennial with winter mulch. per NC State
Edible fruit, the maypop
The ripe egg-shaped fruit is edible fresh or as jelly; UF calls it edible but not very tasty. The hollow fruit pops loudly when crushed, hence 'maypop'. per NC State and UF/IFAS
Spreads by root suckers
It suckers aggressively from the roots, sending up shoots several feet from the parent to cover large areas. Pull suckers or grow it in a large container. per NC State and Missouri Botanical Garden
Climbs by tendrils
It climbs by curling tendrils that grab thin supports: wire, netting, a fence or other stems. Give it a slender frame to wrap, not a solid wall. per NC State
Blooms on new growth
It flowers on the current season's new growth, so a late-winter or early-spring cutback removes no buds. In cold zones the top dies back anyway. per NC State
What pairs well with Passionflower
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
False Indigo
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Aster
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both are strong pollinator plants; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Chives
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; echoes the purple.
Lupine
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 3 ft, for the front of the border.
Weigela
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 5 ft, for the front of the border.
Tulip Tree
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; yellow against purple, for contrast.
Mock Orange
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 8 ft, for the front of the border.
Winterberry
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; blooms in mid fall as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; lower at 6.5 ft, for the front of the border.
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.