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when to cut back passion flower.

gordy60gordy60 Posts: 3

Hi there, this year my passion flower has hardly grown  and with very little flowers. Would it be a problem to cut it right back just now.

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  • InglezinhoInglezinho Posts: 568

    I am assuming your plant is Passiflora caerulea or Blue passion flower, which is the only the Passion flower which will grow in UK. I had one when I lived in England. Here in Brazil we have a choice of about 100!

    In general you shouldn't prune in midsummer. The reason why your plant is not doing very well is probably due to the rotten Summer ( I gather). It may flower later if the Autumn is good. They are Brazilian remember - hot, sunny weather!

    I grow a number of varieties and hardly prune them at all. They are are very wild and rampant plants. It's best not to try and tame them. I tidy mine in the winter, as I did in UK. Cut back any obviously dead bits but otherwise leave it alone.

    Good luck - boa sorte! 

    Ian

    Everyone likes butterflies. Nobody likes caterpillars.
  • gordy60gordy60 Posts: 3

    Hi there, yes it is the cerulean.  Could be the weather here. It did well last year.  I trimmed dead parts in February.   I'll leave it till winter again. Thanks again. Gordon.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,531

    There are lots of passion flowers which will happily grow in UK. Some are a bit more tender than others it has to be said. 

    I cut mine to the ground whenever I see it. Mine became a total thug, smothering everything around it so , for the past 3 years it's been war.

    Devon.
  • JAYJARDINJAYJARDIN Posts: 241

    Mine is rampant too- suckers pop up miles away from the main plant and it's roots are thick and far reaching. I hope it does not damage the house foundations being only about 6 foot from the house. I cut mine back to about 4 foot every March and by August it is gigantic but lovely with its flowers and the bees love it too.

  • gordy60gordy60 Posts: 3

    Mine has a few flowers but quite straggley. Thinking of digging up and moving to a better part of garden. Just now it's in a shallow planter. I think that's the problem. Poor soil.

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