Question
QUESTION: Hi there,

I'm really hoping you could help me. I have a passiflora that's losing its leaves, and I have no idea why. I unfortunately can't tell you what kind of plant it is since I've only had it for a year and a half or so, and it has never flowered. It has large, three-pointed leaves that are of a medium green colour (this is about the closest resemblance to the leaves that I found online: http://chestofbooks.com/flora-plants/flowers/Flower-Garden/288-Passiflora-Ciliat).

I live in Montreal, Quebec. Over the summer, I kept it outside on my balcony (facing east) and it thrived (though still no flowers). I brought it in for the winter, obviously, and put it right by my east-facing window. It kept growing, less vigorously of course, and would lose the odd leaf here and there (the leaf turned yellow and fell... it didn't dry out entirely). I figured this was normal because my friend has a similar plant that always loses its leaves every winter.

In the last couple of weeks though, it has been losing a fair bit of leaves quite quickly. I don't see any bugs on it and there are no spots on the leaves that would suggest a disease or anything. I know that there are some species of passiflora that lose their leaves entirely every year, but it seemed strange to me that mine would be doing this so late in the winter.

If you could please offer any advice, I would sincerely appreciate it (as would my plant). Also, any advice on how to encourage blooming this summer? My balcony gets a good 1/2 day of full sunlight, and I use special blooming-flower fertilizer... but alas.

Thanks in advance!  :)

Jane

ANSWER: Hi Jane, Passion Flowers can be finiky when it comes to flowering, I had one that completely covered a 10 foot fence (here in Florida), but offered very few flowers, yet I had a Passion Fruit that was covered with flowers, but they never formed fruit that matured; I tried all my tricks of the trade, but to no avail, lots of healthy growth, but few flowers. The winter came and the first frost (yes even in Florida) caused a loss of many of the leaves, but it is already growing new ones. Don't be to concerned with the flowering, it will send them out once it begins new growth this Spring; try fertilizing it with a low Nitrogen, but high Phosphorous fertilizer (like Miracle Grow Bloom Booster), this will encourage flowers without promoting too much leaf growth. Apply the fertilizer about once a month. Nick

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Nick.

Thanks for your reply. I figured it might be losing leaves because of the winter, but if anything, it's getting warmer now, and has been for the last few weeks... so it seems to me that that timing is off. Is this normal as well? Also, do you know whether it grows any new leaves close to the base of the plant (this is where the leaves are falling), or is it only on the top?

Thanks again!

Jane

Answer
Hi Jane, growth usually commences from the bottom, the top usually is what dies back, I cut mine back almost to the ground and that is where it will begin this seasons growth. Keep in mind Jane, that this plant was actually designed by nature to feed the Monarch Butterfly larvae and they ravage it; it responds with vigorous growth. Bottom line is this plant can take it all and come back with a great response. Nick