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Passiflora 'Scarlet Flame' (Red Granadilla) – A vigorous and durable passion vine with dark green leaves that are three-lobed to the middle of the leaf and are up to 6 inches long. From Spring through fall appear the large 3 to 4 inch wide flowers that emerge from rusty colored buds to open and display reddish orange petals and inner filaments that are a vivid bright red.
Plant in full sun with regular to occasional irrigation. Fairly tender and best in near frost free locations. A beautiful vine with luxurious foliage and beautiful flowers.
The name Passiflora comes from the Latin words 'passus' meaning "suffering and 'flos' meaning "a flower" from the Flower of the Passion after Spanish priests in Mexico found that features in the flowers seemed to represent events of the crucifixion of Christ. The three stigmas representing the three nails in Jesus's hands and feet, the many radial filaments represented the Crown of Thorns upon his head, the tendrils represented the whips used to flagellate him, the five anthers represented his five wounds, the ten petals and sepals representing the Apostles (excluding Judas and Peter) and the blue and white color representing Heaven and Purity.
We received this plant in 1987 as Passiflora coccinea but in 1983 determined that it was more likely to be the similar Passiflora vitifolia and for many years we sold it under this name. In the year 2000 we were told by passion vine grower and hybridizer Mark Cooper that this hardier and larger flowering red passion vine was actually a hybrid between Passiflora vitifolia and Passiflora coccinea that was developed by Patrick Worley for the Southern California area and was named 'Scarlet Flame'. This plant was initially registered on the International Passiflora Register as a selection of Passiflora vitifolia made in 1984 at Kartuz Greenhouses (where Patrick Worley then worked) and described as "very vigorous; flowers very large, up to 17cm dia., brilliant scarlet; fruit medium large, mottled pale green and very dark green, covered in short soft hair, like velvet". Since 2001 we have continued to grow this nice passion vine and listed it as 'Scarlet Flame'.
This information about Passiflora 'Scarlet Flame' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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