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Turquoise Puya

Passiflora bogotensis

This is a rare look at the lovely Passiflora bogotensis.  This interesting vine flowers year-round, with attractive blooms that start out looking like mushrooms!  Its bat-shaped foliage is really cool, with a soft, velvety texture almost like a cat's ear!  The plant was thought to be extinct, until it was recently rediscovered in the mountains near Bogotá in Colombia.  Fresh seeds are rarely seen for sale.

Passiflora bogotensis

Passiflora bogotensis is a vigorous vine that can grow over 20 feet long, but you can prune it to any size you wish.  Its bi-lobed leaves are 4 inches long and turn somewhat firm with age.  They have a downy-soft texture.  The flowers appear in large numbers throughout much of the year.  The 1˝ inch blooms start out as burgundy, mushroom-shaped buds.  They open to reveal crisp white petals and a chartreuse ring of filaments, with burgundy pollen tubes suspended above them.  The blooms self-pollinate easily, forming attractive, grape-sized fruits.  I'm unsure whether the fruit is edible (some Passifloras are toxic).  This species can probably cross-breed with some other Passifloras in the subgenus Decaloba to create interesting, new hybrids.

Passiflora bogotensis

There isn't much information on its climate tolerances, but some other Passifloras from the same region resent temperatures above 85 degrees (29°C) with warm nights.  It might be able to tolerate warmer days if nights are cool (below 65°F / 18°C).  It can only survive a light, brief frost, so it's best to protect it from freezing temperatures.  It likes part-sun, and might need some shading from strong afternoon sun.  You may grow it indoors along a trellis or wires.  Like most Passifloras, it prefers moist, well-draining soil, regular feeding, and some humidity.

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Tips on germinating the seeds

 

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Turquoise Puya

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