Recipe for May

The purple passion fruit is native from southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. The yellow form is of unknown origin. The passion fruit is a vigorous, climbing vine that clings by tendrils. It is generally short-lived vine and propagation is usually from seeds. Passion fruit vines grow on many soil types. But light to heavy sandy loams with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 are the most suitable. Excellent drainage is absolutely necessary.

The fruits are nearly round. It has a tough rind that is smooth and waxy. There is a cavity within the peel. The cavity is more or less filled with an aromatic mass of double walled, membranous sacs containing orange-colored, pulpy juice and small, hard seeds. The yellow form has generally larger fruit than the purple. But the pulp of the purple is less acid, richer in aroma and flavor, and has a higher proportion of juice.