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Passiflora lindeniana

Astrophea
Colombia & Venezuela 1873
Min 10°C 50°F

Passiflora lindeniana is a rare tree form Passiflora in subgenus Astrophea. It is the largest of such trees growing up to 66 ft tall and 4 ft circumference at the base. The beautiful strongly built flowers have an enticing scent. It is under severe threat from habitat loss, mature trees being chopped down for firewood, and from a fruit fly, Anastrepha dryas, which infests the fruit, destroying the seeds and preventing reproduction. It is Red Listed as endangered in Colombia. Dr Miguel Molinari has done a great deal of work to try to save the plant, sharing seed widely. It germinates easily from seed but grows slowly and is easily lost. Difficult under cultivation.

According to Vanderplank, the natural range is ‘The lower Andes of Venezuela from Merida State in the west to Miranda State above the area Pozo de Rosas in the east and from Sierra San Luıs in Falcon State in the north to Distrito Pedraza on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Mérida in Barinas State in the south.’