HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION 
the purple passion fruit and the sweet granadilla or waterlemon 
have become a part of the natural vegetation in the damp woods of 
practically all of the larger islands at altitudes ranging from 500 
to 3,000 feet. In open forests, they spread over the treetops and 
often yield large crops of fruit. 
SELECTION OF SITES AND SOILS 
Several of the chief localities where the purple passion fruit thrives 
are a portion of the north slope of Mount Haleakala on the Island 
of Maui ; parts of the districts of Hilo, Hamakua, and Kona on the 
Island of Hawaii; eastern slopes of the Waianae mountains on 
Oahu; and in the Kokee section of the mountains of the Island of 
Kauai. In the last-mentioned place, the crops are often large and 
much of the fruit is eaten by wild hogs. The mountain soils of 
this comparatively cool, moist locality are made up of decomposed 
lavas which have a liberal incorporation of humus from the forest, 
and with good drainage, form a very suitable growing medium for 
the natural growth of this exotic species. 
In selecting a site for passion fruit culture, the grower should 
have in mind the species or variety to be grown. Both the purple 
passion fruit and the sweet granadilla or waterlemon will fruit 
freely up to an altitude of 3,000 feet, but on account of unsatisfac- 
tory pollination habits, the yellow variety of P. edulis requires lower 
altitudes, where the air is warm and comparatively dry, in order 
that cross-pollination may be brought about by insects and sea 
breezes (p. 2). If possible, the site for growing any kind of edible 
passion fruit should be of such exposure as to allow the rows of 
plants to extend from north to south, that both sides may get ex- 
posure to the sun daily at blossom time. Where irrigation is re- 
quired, it may be necessary to arrange the rows somewhat differently. 
None of the edible species of Passiflora growing at the Hawaii 
Experiment Station appear to be exacting in their soil requirements. 
The soil may vary greatly in texture and composition. Sufficient 
moisture and humus are the chief essentials. Wet or sour soils, 
which usually result from lack of underdrainage, are unsuitable. 
Passion fruit plants will withstand considerable drought, but 
growth is greatly retarded and productiveness reduced. Altitude 
is not so important from the standpoint of growth and prolificness 
as is good culture in a moist and fertile soil. In Hawaii, it is usually 
easier to select a moist and fertile soil at altitudes between 500 and 
2,000 feet than to get the required cultural conditions on tillable 
land below 500 feet. 
PROPAGATION 
Passiflora plants require considerable growth before they are set 
in the field. The plants may be grown from seeds or cuttings. Most 
growers, however, propagate from seeds. The seed should be selected 
from the fruit of good quality, particularly such fruit as is free of 
fungus diseases. Although no serious passion fruit diseases have been 
observed or reported in Hawaii, the " brown spot " Macrosporium sp. 
(IS) is a plant disease of considerable concern to passion fruit 
growers in parts of Australia, and it is possible that this and several 
other passion fruit diseases may be transmitted by the seed (3, p. 
668). 
