Passiflora (Maypop) germination

I understand these have a coating that needs to be removed to allow germination, and they need to be kept warm (75+F) all during germination. I currently have them in a damp paper towel inside a baggie top of my cable box (snuggly warm), and I have a heat mat for when I plant them. But I am getting conflicting information on how long they need before they germinate.

I heard from one place that if they don't sprout within 30 days, to refrigerate for 3-5 months and try again. Another place said 15-30 days with no mention of cold treatment. Has anyone had any luck with these, and can give me some tips on what to expect and best practices?

Why oh why can't I just stick to zinnias and marigolds... everyone here knows why! lol

Really, you were told to go to that much trouble? I belong to a Rare Fruit council organization devoted to the propagation and growing of tropical fruit ( some of it really weird). They have a fruit tasting and encouage everyone to take home the seed and plant it. I took home a passionfruit and stuck the seed goop in a pot and forgot about it. I got tons of seedlings pretty quickly. Course I live in FL, land of the very hot.

Thanks - always good to find out it may be easier than I thought! My butterfly garden thanks you...

Trudi I bought two types of passi's from gardenstore n more and Tricias instructions said to soak 1-2 days prior which I did - I started them Jan 30 using the coffee filter method until two days ago when checking them I noteda few were starting to split so I have put them in a soiless mixture with my heat pad under them and will see where they go from here - would you mind dmailing me and letting me know your progress too? This is my first go round with passi's but I just couldn't pass them up :)

I'm trying to start passifloras, too.

I found this website with a good write up on what to do to start the seeds...

http://www.passionflow.co.uk/seed2121.htm

Trudi, You're lucky you just have to chew up the fruit and throw the seeds on the ground in Florida! Sounds like my kind of gardening. Not so here for passies, but some do say they are invasive so maybe the caerulea would be easy here...mmm...maybe worth a try in Ohio Zone 6a.

I will be interested to hear how the seed starting goes...

Tab thanks for the link ...I am off to check it out!

Deanna

Deanna,
I think the difference is between fresh (as in still juicy) and dried seeds. I know with any hard shelled seed I am trying to start, I also soak the seed first. I am sure you are going to have excellent success. My experiment was a couple years back and was pretty simple for me. They grew and I gave them away. There are some more exotic varieties of passiflora that I would love to have but they are only available as dried seed. Maybe I will order some and we can all be apprehensive together :)

Tabasco, thanks for the link. I'll take a peek.
Trudi

I don't have any passionfruit juice, but I do have them in a damp paper towel in a baggie with instructions to clean as much of the goop off them as possible after three days. I will add the week-long soak to this, watching every day when I change the water to be sure they don't burst. I have more if necessary... I think I am starting them WAY too early anyway.

How fast do they grow once they germinate (assuming I have any luck with that at all)?

AARGH! I had them in half an inch of water in a custard cup, and I have been changing the water every day... until yesterday, I forgot. When I went to change the water, they were DRY! Do I have to start all over with new seeds, or just the seven day soak? How can half an inch of water evaporate in 36 hours?

Zare--I don't know which kind you are trying to start, but this FAQ page might give you some answers...

http://www.passionflow.co.uk/passiflora-passion-flower-faq.htm

Good luck with them!

It says to never let the seeds dry out, so I guess I need to start over again. *sigh*

Oh, I'm sure they were still damp inside the shells...don't you think?

36 hours isn't that long to be ignoring mother nature's seeds.

Are you growing a kind that is rare or basic Maypops?

Basic, I believe. I do have some left... that site also recommended chilling them for a time. I may try that with some of the remaining seeds.

Two things about Passiflora incarnata that might be of interest: they are hardy in zone 5, but won't be in your zone 4. They are INVASIVE if they are happy! You CANNOT get rid of them once you get them to survive in your yard - they will travel, via underground roots, into the next county!

I was planning on potting them up so I could try to overwinter them, so I don't think invasiveness will be an issue.

Gonna pot 'em up today! The seem to be nice and soaked now...

I wish mine was invasive. It just seems to sit there and sulk! Maybe the pot is too small...?

Zarebeth, how did the seeds fare?

They never did germinate. Guess I will just have to buy a plant...

There's many DGers that have these plants and end up with "spares"...I'd check around in the next month or so if I wre you. They're not great travelers so you want one with a good root system - packed well. Feel free to even check back with me in a month or so. It will seem like they're not doing anything - then powie...they take off like nobody's business. WELL worth the wait...bumble bees love them...their scent is incredible!!

I agree with Chantell....they root easily from cuttings and a lot of people will be happy to do it for you for postage, especially since the nice coop you're doing :))

They really stand still until the heat arrives, and then they really take off. Somebody in Florida sent me a rooted cutting last June -- with the heat here, that puppy took off like crazy. I am not one bit surprised they are invasive in the garden! However, I'm not sure Minnesota has warm enough summers - are they indigineous there?

Suzy

Nope, not indigenous - but I have lots of butterflies that would love them. And I can overwinter them in my garage or basement.

I started some Maypop seeds too, but no sign of a sprout yet. Some say it can take months.

My Maypop I'm overwintering in the garage appears to have made it to springtime. I put it outside today for a bit of hardening off. I was afraid to leave it out all winter although they say they are hardy in zone 6.

I hope this sumemr will be the time for it to really burst forth with bloom!

They are marginally hardy there? They are native here... weeds, actually. People pull them out as soon as they see them because of the rampant growth of volunteers from the roots.

Maybe it's the rain you get or something, but they are cold hardy here and an hour north of here, for sure. Native. So that would mean they were hardy in the 1980s when the winters reliably got down to -20

Suzy

Well, I am in zone 4, and Dave's Plant files says to zone 6... our winters have been fairly mild lately (except this one lol), so they may make it. I am surely dying to try!

I found some conflicting hardiness info, too, and I am not quite sure which Maypop I am growing, and it was so slow to get started in my container, that I didn't want to take a chance on winter survival.

I have heard others say it runs rampant in their yards and I wish mine had a little of that gene. (I may live to regret saying that, though!)