My passion fruit - can I eat it?

[Slug]

Hi all,

Stupid question, because I know you can buy passion fruit in the shops.... but basically I'm wondering if the passion fruit in my garden is edible - i.e. will it taste OK!?

My ones look different to the ones bought in the supermarket - they look a bit more like the 'sharper' yellow & eggy shaped passion fruits you get in Brazil rather than the brown round wrinkly ones in the shops!

Has anyone grown them before - and are they any good?

I've got one that is ripening and it's quite squishy at the bottom where it's yellow, and I'm wondering if it's ripe to eat as soon as it's all yellow, or do I need to leave it?

I've no idea... as I only bought it for the flowers and was gobsmacked when I forgot to dead head for a few days and saw little fruits developing! Quite exciting really!

I've attached some piccies....

[bramble]

hi Slug,
Sorry, can be no help in this case as i have never grown passiom fruit myself.
But, if you have any spare seed i would love to try them. Have to say, they look great.

[Slug]

Hi Bramble,

I'll let you know how they turn out! I'll dry some of the seed for you - no idea if it'll be any good or not, but you can definitely have some to give it a try!

I'll let you know when I have some seeds dried!

[BigstU]

Hi Slug

From what I have read elsewhere I dont think they are any good for eating, but pick them when they are orange and scoop out the seeds and wash them, i.e wash off the flesh surrounding the seed and sow them for loads of new plants for next year.

This link povides good info on growing them http://www.passiflora-uk.co.uk/index.shtml

Just to experiment, I have just cut one of my orange fruits and had a little taste. There isn't as much flesh surrounding the seeds as from the brown wrinkly ones, but did taste quite nice.

Now that I have done that I expect someone will tell me they are poisonous and I'm going to die

[BigstU]

Sorry but the link didn't work hopefully this one will

http://www.passiflora-uk.co.uk/index.shtml

[blossom]

From what I have read it depends on the type of passionfruit plant.

When I was younger I remember eating passionfruits from our garden and they were very nice.

[Slug]

Hi BigstU - thanks for the link, and for tasting the passion fruit.... hey I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - let me know if you feel a little sick

I will also try keeping some seeds to grow some more, but from looking at your link it seems like they can take 8 years in some instances to flower!!!

My fruit is even more ripe this morning (now an even yellow colour all over), so I'm waiting with baited breath for it to turn orange so I can give it a taste.

Blossom - I'm hoping that the variety you used to have in the garden is the same one I have. Mine is just the normal blue variety, so I'm hoping that's the one most people have!

I'll keep you posted once I've had a taste...!! Can't wait

[blossom]

The one we had was the standard looking flower. Good luck.

[poultrychat]

I don't believe it is posoinous slug but it won't taste very nice if the one you are going to eat is the same as the one in the picture. You need a different variety for eating

[SueA]

Hi Slug, your plant is Passiflora caerulea the same as mine & although the fruits are edible they are not supposed to be very nice. You need Passiflora edulis to grow the fruit to eat & as it is a bit tender it's best grown in a greenhouse. I've never had fruits on my passionflower at all until this year, must be all the hot weather & a couple of them have turned a pretty orange colour but then seem to have got drowned in the rain we've had recently & gone mouldy so I haven't had the chance to taste them!

[BigstU]

Its ok slug I'm still on this planet, had no problems from it.

The one I tasted was quite sweet, however there wasn't much too eat

[Slug]

Hmmm.... this sounds slightly disappointing if it's going to possibly taste nasty!

I'm pleased to hear you're still in the land of the living BigstU..!! My passion fruit has now turned orange, so I might just have to give it a try..... I'll let you know how it goes!

If I prepare for the worst, then if it tastes nice it's a big bonus! I did try some in South America which looked like this (i.e. not the brown wrinkly variety you get in the shops), and they definitely tasted different (much sharper), but still edible.

I'll soon find out...!!

[SueA]

I'll be brave & try mine as well Slug if I get anymore that turn orange before they drop off! Preparing for them to be a bit sour!

[Slug]

I didn't get home until late the other night, and I won't be home this evening as I'm away for the weekend so I really hope my orange passionfruit hasn't dropped off by the time I get back

Let me know how you get one with yours....

[Earthbabe]

Hi, tasted one of mine last year. It was ok. That was after listening to gardening spot on radio. They had a similar question today and the response was Yes they can be eaten (even if not P. edulis) but are likely to be a little disappointing. The suggestion was to make a sort of lemon curd or similar with the seeds etc. Not sure how that would work though. Sorry!