Plants: Passiflora quadrangularis - Giant Granadilla

The largest fruit in its genus, the giant granadilla, Passiflora quadrangularis L. (syn. P. macrocarpa M.T. Mast.), is often called merely grenadilla, or parcha. The vine is fast-growing, large, coarse, herbaceous but woody at the x, arising from a fleshy root that becomes enlarged with age, and climbing trees to a height of 33 to 50 ft (10-15 m) or even 150 ft (45 m) in Java. It has thick 4-angled stems prominently winged on the angles. The solitary, fragrant flowers, up to 4 3/4 or 5 in (12-12.5 cm) wide, have a bell-shaped calyx, the 5 sepals greenish or reddish-green on the outside, white, pink or purple inside; the 5 petals, to 1 3/4 in (4.5 cm) long, white-and-pink; the corona filaments 2-ranked, to 2 3/8 in (6 cm) long, purple-and-white below, blue in the middle, and pinkish-blue above, around the typical complex of pistil, x and stigmas.

The pleasantly aromatic, melon-like fruit is oblong-ovoid, 4 3/4 to 6 in (12-15 cm) wide, and 8 to 12 in (10-30 cm) long; may be faintly ribbed or longitudinally 3-lobed; has a thin, delicate skin, greenish-white to pale- or deep-yellow, often blushed with pink. Beneath it is a x of firm, mealy, white or pink flesh, 1 to 1 1/2 in (2.5-4 cm) thick, of very mild flavor, and coated with a parchment-like material on the inner surface. The central cavity contains some juice and masses of whitish, yellowish, partly yellow or purple-pink, sweet-acid arils (commonly referred to as the pulp), enclosing flattened-oval, purplish-brown seeds to 1/2 in (1.25 cm) long.

Synonym:Passiflora macrocarpa


Publisher: Hirts Gardens