Granadilla

Passionfruit (Eng.), Grinadella (Afr.)

Grinedellas are vigourous vines that can easily be trained up a trellis. They tend to reach for the sky - prune to help guide in more formal areas or fill bottom trellis too. The Ester selection of granadilla variety is a vigorous climbing vine and productive grower. Fruits are round to oval with a tough purple skin and a high pulp content. The delicious pulp is often used in drinks, deserts and fruity recipes. The plants should be trained to grow on a well-constructed trellis, otherwise they are soon out of reach!

Planning

Difficulty

Easy

Flowering time

Summer, Autumn, Spring

Fruiting time

Summer, Autumn

Harvesting

Two bearing seasons: early spring and mid to late summer. Can go into winter if it is a mild. Allow fruit to ripen on the vine and harvest fruit once they have dropped onto the ground. Fruit at best once the outer skin begins to wrinkle.

Propagation

Seed

Cut through a granadilla and scoop out the contents. Thoroughly wash the contents to separate the seed from the pulp. Dry the seed and sow it in seedling trays.

Special features

Crop rotation

Heavy Feeder

Geography

Origin

South and Central America; Ester a selection from South Africa, Polokwane

Natural climate

Temperate to sub-tropical

Environment

Light

Full Sun

Soil moisture

Moist

Soil type

Loam, Sand

Soil PH preference

Neutral

Frost hardiness

Tender

Uses

Edible

The fruit has a deep yellow to orange fleshy pulp in the centre of a purple casing. Fruit can be left to ripen and fall to the ground before being picked up.

Notes

Culinary

Personality

Family

Passifloraceae

Flower colour

White with purple centre

Scent

None

Problems

Frequent pest occur on granadillas including stinkbugs and tip wilters. Damping off of seedlings is caused by fungi and root rot can also be deadly.

Root Rot

Phytophthora spp.

Companion plants

Always plant groundcovers/mulch etc to keep soil cool and protect roots