Blue Passion Flower (Passiflora caerulea) is a climbing vine with 5 – 7 lobes on each thin mature leaf. It produces attractive white and purple hanging flowers 6 – 9 cm in diameter, from December to April. These are followed by round, inedible fruits, 3 – 5 cm in diameter, green ripening to yellow orange.
It is a rapidly growing vine that forms large masses in medium to high canopy, smothering vegetation and strangling host trees. It is mainly spread by birds, which can distribute the seed a moderate distance from the source plant. It can also grow from layering, putting down roots where stems touch the ground.
It is not currently included as a target species in our pest management plan, as it is a very recent emerging pest in our District. However, it is included in the National Pest Plant Accord, meaning it is an unwanted organism, and the sale, distribution or propagation of the plant is banned.
A significant new infestation was discovered in Nelson in 2021. Alarmingly, several moderate infestations have recently been discovered in Richmond, Hope and Murchison, and single plants at Best Island and Kaiteriteri.
This serious pest plant has not yet taken hold in Tasman, and we need your help to keep it that way. It will be flowering and fruiting right now, so it is at the most visible stage. It is also the best time for control before the fruits drop and the seeds are spread.
If you think you have Blue Passion Flower on your property, or think you have seen it in the District, please urgently notify us on 03 543 8400.