Possum Purple Passion Fruit

Passiflora edulis 'Possum Purple'

fruit

Possum Purple is a standout purple passion fruit selected for vigor, cold tolerance, and reliable self-fruitfulness, so a single vine sets a full crop on its own. The fast, woody, tendrilled climber is handsome enough to cover a fence, arbor, or trellis as an ornamental, then rewards you with intricate purple-and-white flowers followed by round, wrinkly purple fruit. Inside is golden, aromatic, sweet-tart pulp full of crunchy edible seeds - spooned fresh, strained for juice, or spooned over desserts. Vines are short-lived perennials, often most productive in their first few years and easily restarted from seed or cuttings.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Bean — A legume planted at the base fixes nitrogen for the hungry vine while it climbs the same trellis structure
• Marigold — Helps suppress the root-knot nematodes that are a serious passion fruit pest in sandy soil
• Comfrey — A deep-rooted companion whose mineral-rich leaves make an excellent chopped mulch around the roots

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Root-knot nematodes →

  A serious problem in sandy soil - plant in fresh or amended ground, mulch heavily, and interplant marigolds; replace declining vines on new ground

• Caterpillars →

  Several feed on passion-vine foliage - hand-pick, accept light damage (the vine is a butterfly host), and use Bt only for heavy outbreaks

• Aphids →

  Cluster on new growth and can spread virus - rinse off, encourage ladybugs, and treat with insecticidal soap

• Fusarium wilt →

  A soil fungus that collapses vines - ensure drainage, avoid replanting in infected ground, and choose vigorous rootstock

🌾 Harvest & storage

A vigorous vine often fruits within its first year, about 70 to 80 days from flower to ripe fruit. The fruit is ripe when it turns deep purple and wrinkles slightly, and the easiest harvest is to simply let ripe fruit drop and gather it from the ground daily - flavor is fullest when the skin dimples. Refrigerate to hold, or scoop and freeze the pulp. A little wrinkling means sweeter, not spoiled, fruit.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

About 97 calories per 100 g with a remarkable 10 g fiber (largely from the edible seeds), 30 mg vitamin C, 348 mg potassium, and good vitamin A and iron. The intensely aromatic pulp adds tropical flavor to juices, sauces, desserts, and drinks, and a little goes a long way.