Grow passion flower in a draining pot you can move indoors before frost. Keep a trellis in the pot so the tendrils can climb.
Grow it in a draining pot you can move
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Pot | A large pot with drainage holes, heavy enough not to tip | Do not use a pot with no holes, or a tiny pot that dries out every day |
| Mix | A potting mix that drains | Do not pack garden soil in a pot — it stays wet and smothers roots |
| Support | A trellis in or beside the pot from day one | Do not let the vine sprawl on the patio with nothing to grab |
| Winter mix | Let the mix dry a little while the plant rests indoors | Do not keep the pot soggy indoors, or roots rot |
Where frost is regular, a container is how you keep a tender vine alive. blue passion flower will not stay in the ground through a hard freeze there, but it does well if you carry the pot inside. [1] Start with a pot about twelve inches across, then step up as the vine fills it. [2] Sun and even moisture for the genus are on How to Grow Passion Flower.
What size pot does passion flower need?
Start with a large pot with drainage holes, about twelve inches across, and a trellis the tendrils can wrap. Step up as roots fill it.
How to keep a potted vine through summer
Set the pot in full sun. Water when the surface of the mix looks dry, and keep a support in place.
- Fill a pot with potting mix that drains. Set the root ball at the same level it grew before, not buried. [3]
- Put a trellis in the pot or against the wall behind it before the vine runs.
- Water when the surface looks dry. A terracotta pot dries faster than plastic, so check it more often.
- Feed a potted vine through the growing months with a mild liquid fertilizer every four to six weeks. Skip feed while it rests indoors.
Bring the pot in before frost
Move the pot before the first freeze. An unheated garage that stays above freezing, or a bright room, both work. Keep the mix on the dry side while the vine rests, because wet mix in winter is what rots the roots. [4] You can cut the vine back in fall so it fits through the door. Flowers form on new growth, so that cut is a size cut, not a second prune essay — timing for a frame in the ground is on Pruning Passion Flower.
When do I bring the pot inside?
Before the first freeze. Keep the mix a little drier while the vine rests indoors.
If the mix stays wet indoors all winter, water less — that is what rots the roots.
FAQ
Can I keep the pot in a garage?
Yes, if it stays above freezing. The vine may drop leaves and rest. Water less until you move it back into sun.
Will a potted vine set grocery fruit?
A large pot can carry passion fruit, but the crop is smaller than in the ground. Pollination still follows How to Grow Passion Fruit.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] UNH Extension -
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2021/01/growing-fruits-inside-neem-oil-passionflower-broken-limbs-audio - [2] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/passion-flower/growing-guide - [3] Easy To Grow Bulbs -
https://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/pages/passiflora-planting-guide - [4] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/passiflora-caerulea/
This note is part of Passiflora Guides.
More container notes by plant live in Container Growing Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors