Frozen Passion

I received a question yesterday on this blog about a passion vine.

I didn’t have a picture of a passion-vine flower, mine are not in bloom, so I took a picture of my dog instead.

Dogs are great. They do whatever you ask but sometimes they can’t hide their boredom.

Michelle asked about her passion vine. She asked if she should have covered it during our cold snap.

She said it wasn’t looking so good.

Well Michelle, you probably should have. But where we live in Califorina it usually isn’t necessary. It will probably be just fine. Passion vines are really hardy.

For now, however, don’t do anything to it. Do not cut it back. The dead foliage can actually protect the plant from the next frost. If you cut your plant back it will probably stimulate new growth and if another hard freeze comes along the new growth will die also.

This rule applies to all your sad-looking frostbitten plants.

You should wait until the next growing season (spring) after the danger of frost is past, and see what happens then. It will probably survive. If another hard freeze comes along, then you will have another chance to redeem yourself and cover your plant.

This is your plants first year. You wouldn’t want to start pruning it yet anyway. You don’t start pruning passion vines until it’s second year. You can prune it annually after that.

An interesting fact about passion vines or Passifloraceae Passiflora--It’s name has religious roots in Christianity. The different parts of the passion flower relate to the passions of Christ. The crown of the flower to the crown of thorns, the five stamens represent the five wounds. The ten petals represent the ten apostles.

And I always thought some unusually lonely plant enthusiast with too much time on their hands named it. Who knew.

Comments

[Meesewy]

Thank you Chigiy!
I will patiently wait. I hope I get some flowers this year though. It seemed I didn't get too many once I planted it. When They bloom will you put a photo up? Thanks, Michellle

[Esther]

Ten apostles? I thought there were 12. Or did they exclude Judas & Mary Magdaline?

[Esther]

Ohhhh! What a cute dog! I have 4 border collies.
What is your dog's name?