My passion fruit - can I eat it?

[Slug]

Hi all...

well, I ate my passion fruit this evening. I got home from my weekend away to find it was still intact on the plant (and seriously bright orange!) so I went for it!

I was very surprised to find the seeds were coated in a reddish 'goo' rather than yellowey green 'goo' that you get in the ones in the shop, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the red goo was quite nice and sweet. I did find the seeds a little bit bitter, but not too much. I still ate it all so it wasn't all that bad

I think there are improvements to be made though.... I'm not sure if the next ones need to stay on the plant longer, since the fruit reminded me of a broad bean that has been picked too early - i.e. the skin was quite thick and squishy and I'm wondering if I left it a bit longer if it might taste better.

Pretty happy with my first tasting... and I'll try leaving the next one for longer, and I'll let you know the results....!! This is quite a fun experiment

[nick the grief]

Well it's been nice knowing you all LoL

[Slug]

Ooohh... feel a bit queasy

[Squirrel]

I tried them once, but being used to the proper thing, didn't like the taste or texture! Want to get a purple fruited one and grow it out the front on my south facing wall! Should be ok there!

[Slug]

Squirrel, is this the Passiflora edulis that SueA mentions above? Is that the variety you'd get in the supermarket? If so... good luck with it if you get one - yummm!!

[SueA]

Hi Slug, I spotted a lovely ripe orange passionfruit on my plant last night & cut it off to try it. I cut it open & what was inside it-- nothing at all! It was only about 1.5 inches long & felt soft to the touch but the inside just had a slight fibrous sectioning with a couple of seeds & no juicy stuff at all. I have taken a couple of photos but can't post them at he moment because I've just gone onto a new computer & haven't got any software on it yet to alter pics. etc.

[Squirrel]

Squirrel, is this the Passiflora edulis that SueA mentions above? Is that the variety you'd get in the supermarket? If so... good luck with it if you get one - yummm!!

Oh yes! Grew them overseas in the back yard and at them straight off the vine. I have one of those other jobbies on the front of the house (blazing South facing flint) which I am attempting to get rid of! If that grows I would have thought the other would have done as well with a bit of help in winter - oh and keeping the wretched bantam off it! They have decided that tomatoes, courgettes as well as bugs and beetles are fair game!

[Slug]

SueA - that's very disappointing! My fruit was a bit bigger than it sounds like your one was. I do have 1 orange fruit that is about 1 inch long. It was the first of the flowers to set fruit and I think it's gone a bit wrong somewhere along the track. I expect I'll open it and find a whole pile of nothing in there!

Better luck with the next fruit eh?

Squirrel - sounds lke the perfect spot for it... if you can train the bantams.... good luck there!!

[SueA]

Just trying out the Picasa resizing I have downloaded to show you the passionfruit, hope it works!

[Shortie]

Oh SueA, what a shame. I can see exactly what you were sayign the other day now. It looks like a nice fruit on the outside too!

Almost looks like a orange skin with the middle sucked out

[Slug]

Wow.... what a lot of nothing you have in there! My one looks like it was about twice the size of your one (it's hard to tell.... but I think so!). I can't believe there is absolutely nothing in there at all - not even a whiff of a seed or anything nice to get your teeth into.

I bet you were all excited too.... after deciding to brave it

I meant to take a picture of mine, but I forgot - and then I'd eaten it...!!! I'll try and get a picture of the next one and we can compare notes on fruit number 2...!!

[SueA]

Think yours are probably a lot bigger than mine Slug (fruits that is!). My passionfruit has never fruited before at all & maybe these are just sort of trial fruits & haven't developed properly, some others have been very tiny but turned orange when only about half an inch long & then dropped off. Think I'll just have to value it as a pretty ornamental!

[kentish girl]

Mine always has loads of fruits & they look great when they turn orange & the birds love then for food in the winter.

[Slug]

That's really odd about the 'no seeds' SueA as I picked my teeny weeny little passion fruit today (this is the one that was a bit stunted and looked 'wrong').

Anyway, I opened it up, expecting an empty shell, only to find there were quite a few seeds in it (for the size of it anyhow...)

I'd be interested to know how yours are from here on in - perhaps your location isn't as condusive, or perhaps it's where it's situated.... or it might even be just a fluke and a one off that you got one with no seeds.

I would expect the weather in Waterford is similar to Kentish Girl's weather (but maybe a little cooler here), so only time will tell if your other passion fruits yield anything.... and if it's a location thing perhaps?

Let us know how your other fruits turn out!

[SueA]

Hi Slug, got one! I noticed another fruit was bright orange at he very top of the trellis & managed to pull it off, it felt very squishy as though it was empty but surprise surprise when I cut it open it had the red coloured jelly/seeds the same as yours. Feeling brave I picked them out & sucked them, thought they tasted a bit like pomegranate seeds, quite sweet but a bit sour if you chewed the seeds. I'm happy now that I got to try one but not bothered about eating anymore! Photos attached to compare with yours.