Explains how and where passionfruit is grown and common uses for it in cooking. Also details its nutritional benefits and commercial availability.
Passion fruit, whose botanical name is Passiflora edulis, is a fruit that grows in both tropical and sub-tropical regions. A native of Brazil, South America, it is also commonly grown in New Zealand. The fruit's name was acquired years ago from Spanish clergymen who said that the plant's flowers resembled religious figures.
Two types of passion fruit are cultivated today - yellow passion fruit and purple passion fruit. While both passion fruits possess an oval shape and contain yellowish flesh with edible black seeds within, the yellow passion fruit is larger in size than the purple passion fruit and contains more fruit juice. However, the purple passion fruit is typically sweeter in taste than the yellow passion fruit and has a sweet odor that resembles perfume. Purple passion fruits average a size of approximately four inches and are recommended for purchase when not totally ripe. You can recognize an unripe passion fruit by it being firm and solid. As the fruit matures and ripens, it will turn dark purple in color and its skin will appear wrinkled.
You can purchase passion fruits year round in larger supermarket chains and in specialty fruit and vegetable stores. Although available year round for purchase, passion fruits are produced during the months of June through August and November through January.
When you have purchased passion fruit from a store, you can safely store it in your home for up to one week provided that it is stored in your refrigerator. Common uses for passion fruit include eating the flesh as is or slicing pieces of it up as a dessert topping for ice cream and custards, or to add to fruit salads. You can also use passion fruit to make jellies and jams. Commercial use for the passion fruit is varied and includes processing it into preserves and frozen and canned juices. Passion fruit is also used as an ingredient in ice creams, candies, fruit juice concentrates, and alcoholic beverages, such as cordials.
Besides being a diverse fruit whose uses are varied, passion fruits are a healthy addition to daily meals. Passion fruits provide a good source of fiber, are low in sodium, and contain no cholesterol. They also provide a high amount of the vitamins A and C and offer an excellent source of potassium. For those who count calories, approximately 145 grams of passion fruit, which is the equivalent of 7-8 passion fruits, contain 140 calories. Additionally, this same amount of passion fruit contains approximately 1 gram of fat. Passion fruits are a highly nutritious addition to any meal or dessert.
If you live in a region whose climate is favorable towards growing passion fruits, you should be aware of the planting requirements necessary to ensure that your passion fruits develop and mature properly. First, make sure that the plants will grow in full sunlight. Additionally, the plants require soil that has good irrigation and drainage and that has a pH level of approximately 6.5 to 7.5. Passion fruits grow on vines and can be propagated by planting seeds, cuttings, or by grafting. If seeds are to be planted, make sure that they are started indoors then transplanted outside approximately 6 to 8 weeks after being sown. Additionally, transplant plants only during a cool time of the day, such as at dawn. With cuttings, select only those sections from healthy, developing vines. Within four weeks, if prepared indoors, roots should develop. The cuttings can then be moved outdoors for planting. As passion fruit develops, be aware of any pests or diseases that may attempt to harm them. Common pests include slugs and caterpillars. Additionally, fungi or other molds may attack the passion fruit. Because of this, make sure that you consult with a nursery or other gardening shop prior to starting to grow passion fruits in order to obtain the proper pesticides and/or chemicals necessary to prevent any pests or diseases from attacking your plants. You should also prune your vines regularly to rid the vines of pests and to promote new vine growth.
Passion fruit vines can last for up to five years. During this time, you will be able to harvest your crop twice a year. Typically, fruits ready for harvest will fall automatically from the vine onto the ground and should be collected as they fall. Do not pick any passion fruits directly off of a vine as they have not fully matured and will not have the proper flavor or nutritional value as those that have fallen freely. Once picked, you should allow them to ripen naturally at room temperature.
Passion fruit offers today's consumers a healthy alternative to artificially sweetened snacks and desserts. It is also a fruit that can be grown at home, provided that the proper planting environment exists. Because of its many nutritional benefits and diversity as a cooking ingredient, passion fruit use will continue to grow in many regions of the world. It will also attract the attention of many international chefs and homemakers who see the benefits associated with using this exotic fruit that once was only known to the inhabitants of South America.
