Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Banana passionflower bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Banana passionflower, Softleaf passionflower, Curuba (Passiflora mollissima).
More about banana passionflower
About Banana passionflower
Passiflora mollissima · also called Banana passionflower, Softleaf passionflower · flowering
Banana passionflower is a vigorous Andean climber bearing pendulous, tubular pink flowers and elongated yellow fruit. It thrives in cool subtropical conditions with bright light and moderate humidity. Fast-growing and frost-tender, it needs sturdy support and regular pruning to stay manageable. Excellent for fences and trellises in frost-free gardens.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons banana passionflower isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming banana passionflower traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:
- Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
- Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
- The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
- Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
- It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.
Feeding banana passionflower a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
The fix — how to get banana passionflower to flower
- Maximise sun. Give banana passionflower the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
- Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
- Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
- Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.
Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for banana passionflower and get the feeding right with the banana passionflower fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.
Bloom season and what to expect
Banana passionflower flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
Post-bloom care so it flowers again
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full banana passionflower care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Banana passionflower blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my banana passionflower flower?
Banana passionflower blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
How do I make banana passionflower bloom?
Give banana passionflower the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
When does banana passionflower normally bloom?
Banana passionflower flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with banana passionflower after it flowers?
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping banana passionflower flowering?
Feeding banana passionflower a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Banana passionflower care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Banana passionflower light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Banana passionflower fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 2566 bloom guides in the Growli library