Passionfruit

The passionfruit got its name from its parent vine, the passionflower. The passionflower vine got its name from missionaries in Brazil, who used the flower as an educational tool to illustrate the crucifixion of Christ. The flesh of the passionfruit is very sweet and aromatic, making it the perfect addition to other juices to boost sweetness and aroma. Throughout Texas, the passionfruit vine is also known as “May-pops” due to the popping noise the fruits make when they are inadvertently stepped on.

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Order: Malpighiales
• Family: Passifloraceae
• Genus: Passiflora
• Species: P. edulis
• Binomial name: Passiflora edulis

Passionfruit Trivia

• The flower of the passionfruit vine is the national flower of Paraguay
• The seeds of the passionfruit are edible
• The inner white rind of the passionfruit has shown potential to reduce asthma symptoms
• The passionfruit’s Spanish and Portuguese names, “maracuya” or “maracuja” means “nursery for flies.”
• It takes around a dozen fruits to make one cup of pulp

Passionfruit Buying Guide

When buying passionfruit, choose those that feel heavy for their size. The skin should be a little bit wrinkled. If you plan to use or consume the passionfruit immediately, avoid the smooth-skinned ones because those are still underripe. But if you won’t be using them immediately, purchasing underripe passionfruit is fine, you can ripen them on the countertop for a few days.

Avoid passionfruit with visible bruising and cracks.

Passionfruit Production & Farming in Texas

The passionfruit vine is a Texas native plant, so it is very common to see them in many households. Growing passionfruit vines for ornamental reasons is very easy, but for fruit production, it takes extra care for the vines to produce edible fruit.

Large scale passionfruit production in Texas is often limited to juice producers.

Some small-scale passionfruit producers supply directly to local markets and farmers’ markets.

Passionfruit growing is also popular in a lot of home gardens throughout the state due to their hardiness.

Most of the passionfruit found in large supermarkets is imported from New Zealand and Asia.

Pesticides:

Imported passionfruit from Asia, while very cheap, have tested for excessive pesticide residues. Passionfruit from Hawaii seldom make to stores as the production isn’t large enough for widespread distribution, but they are generally lower in pesticide residue than those imported from Asia.

Geography:

Passiflora incarnata or “May-pops” is native to Texas and can survive almost anywhere in the state. They are pretty hardy plants, and they have very little in the way of pests, so growing them should be a breeze.

Passionfruit thrives in well-drained soil. While it can survive prolonged periods of drought, constant watering is required if you want to have a fruit harvest.

Passionfruit does well in South Texas and the Gulf Coast due to their being tropical in nature. In most parts of southern Texas, they do very well outdoors all year round. In other parts of the state with colder winters, they are usually kept potted and moved indoors or in a greenhouse for them to survive the winter chill.

Packaging:

Commercially grown passionfruit are picked just before they are fully ripened. Depending on the source country, they are usually coated with paraffin to preserve the exterior and to prevent ripening before they are sold.

Local producers, on the other hand, do away with the paraffin coatings and sell directly through farmers’ markets and smaller local markets.

Enjoying Passionfruit

Consuming passionfruit is pretty straightforward; just cut the fruit in half and enjoy the jelly-like middle part (seeds included).

Storage:

Unripe passionfruit can be stored at room temperature, covered and away from direct sun until it ripens. Ripe passionfruit can be refrigerated for two or three days before they go bad.

While the whole passionfruit can be frozen, it is recommended to scoop out the edible parts and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.

Cooking:

Passionfruit is usually enjoyed as toppings over other desserts. They can also be used to make jellies or juices, or even added to other juices as an enhancer.

Heated application of passionfruit includes use as a pastry filling or as a sweet component to different sauces and glazes.

Nutrition:

The passionfruit is sometimes referred to as “The small pomegranate” due to its similarities with the pomegranate.

• Carbs
  • While it may look that a serving of passionfruit contains a lot of sugar, it is worth noting that it also includes a lot of dietary fiber.
  • The glycemic load of passionfruit is very low at 3, meaning it will not affect your blood sugar levels that much, and it is safe for people with diabetes to consume.
• Fiber
  • Passionfruit is an excellent source of dietary fiber with one serving of passionfruit, providing over 50% of your fiber RDI.
    • Fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels and boost overall cardiovascular health.
    • Fiber also helps in keeping intestinal balance by binding with toxins and flushing them out.
  • Vitamins and minerals:
    • Passionfruit contains compounds that have been shown to reduce insulin sensitivity, which helps reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
    • It is also rich in Vitamin C, which is a proven antioxidant.
    • Passionfruit is also good for the heart because it provides you with high levels of potassium and almost no sodium.
    • Passionfruit can also reduce anxiety due to it containing magnesium, a mineral linked with anxiety reduction.

When Are Passionfruit in Season in Texas?