Passion fruit is very popular and there are a variety of different flavors of syrups and juices that come in passion fruit flavors. This amazing fruit comes in different varieties and is grown in several locations, including Hawaii, California, South America, and Australia. It can be purchased throughout the entire year, which is an added bonus since it is not really seasonal like other fruits.
An old saying is that if you eat passion fruit, you will fall in love with the next person you see. While I have not found this to be true, the premise behind it is actually that the passion fruits are so delicious, that you will fall in love with the taste and the world around you while you are consuming one of these flavor bombs. I will attest to the fact that a few months I purchased some sugar-free syrups that can be used in a variety of drinks.
I made a mixed cocktail while at a family get-together at my brother’s house and I was so amazed by the taste that I had to share it with everyone. They all loved it as much as I do and were amazed that there is no sugar in the syrup. This article will help you learn about the different types of passion fruit and details about each one.
Related: Types of Fruit Trees | How to Clean Passion Fruit
How to Tell When Passion Fruit is Ripe
The easiest way to tell when passion fruit is ripe is if it is wrinkly. This means when passion fruit is ready to sow its seeds, the skin will become weaker and it will wrinkle up. This is when it tastes its very best.
It will also boast a darker color in dark purple, dark yellow, or even red or orange.
What’s in a Name?
Passion fruit names sport different names throughout the world. For instance, in Brazil, it is called maracuya and sometimes granadilla while in Hawaii it is commonly referred to as liliko’i.
Variations Of Passion Fruit
There are many different variations of passion fruit and they all fall under the genus Passiflora incarnata species of flowers. While they are a little bit different, they will all boast an interior that is sweet, yellow, juicy, and tart and will be peppered with black seeds and all have an outer casing that is hard. Passionfruit is a tropical fruit that is used in a variety of foods and drinks, such as ice cream, passion fruit mousse, passion fruit juice, fruit salad, and in my passion fruit Keto syrup.
The black seeds cluster inside of the jello-like flesh offer a pop of delicious crunchiness when the fruit is pulled from the passion vine it grows on. The fruit starts out as a passion fruit flower which is beautiful with a sweet aroma. The passion fruit pulp, though, is the reason people love this delectable fresh fruit.
Many farmers have jumped on the bandwagon to begin growing passionfruit since it has become such a popular fruit and the added bonus is the passionflower just makes their properties look gorgeous as this edible fruit grows on the passionfruit vine. The passion fruit vine and the gorgeous passion flower that grows on it can be their own commodity before the passion fruit even develops.
The Types of Passion Fruit
Purple Passion Fruit
Purple passion fruit begins as a fruit that is green in color but will turn purple when it is ripe and ready to be picked, eaten, and enjoyed. With some altitude below them, purple passion fruit is considered the one with the most health benefits since it boasts vitamin C, several different types of vitamin B, and a healthy amount of iron. It is also the most popular of all the different types of passion fruits.
Some examples of purple passion fruits that people love the most include granadilla which is considered to be the most popular type of passion fruit in Europe. It offers a beautiful deep violet color when it is fully ripe and is only about the size of an egg. Misty Gems is the purple passion fruit that many people tout as the most delicious of all.
The flesh inside of this passionfruit is an orange-yellow in a color that boasts a tangy taste that may put you in the mind of the fruit known as guava. Common Purple passion fruit was first grown in beautiful Hawaii and is very thick-skinned. It has fewer black seeds in its center and a low acidity level.
It is actually very different than the other purple passionfruit which is the opposite of common.
Yellow passion fruits
Yellow passionfruit grows to a larger size than the purple version and its vine is stronger and thicker. It is very hardy passion fruit and is not as susceptible to being harmed or destroyed by diseases or pests. Since it has more acidity, this type of passion fruit is used a lot in juices and syrups.
There are several different types of yellow passionfruit, including Maracuya which is typically grown in Brazil. It is more yellow than the other varieties and larger. Banana yellow passion fruit is longer in its shape as well as yellow, hence its name, and has a very sweet flavor.
Banana passionfruit has a little bit of an aftertaste that seems almost acidic.
Yee Selection was first grown in Hawaii and is one of the most flavor-filled passion fruit varietals but yields fewer juice amounts than the others. Sevcik Selection has a flavor that is a little woody tasting and is much sweeter than the others.
Sweet passion fruits
Sweet passion fruits is a newer version of passion fruit. Many of the growers say that this sweet passion fruit is the tastiest of them all and they have become very popular. They start out blue and turn to orange when they ripen.
They have a very sweet-smelling flesh inside that is very flavorful.
Giant passion fruits
Giant passion fruits grow slower than any of the others but also grow larger, up to a foot in diameter. They do not have a very strong taste than the smaller passion fruits. The purple giant passionfruit originated in northern Argentina and southern Brazil and is less acidic than yellow passionfruit, packs plenty of juice, and has a richer flavor to it.
Yellow giant passionfruit is grown in tropical areas such as Hawaii it is usually the biggest but with less flavor.
How To Eat Passion Fruits of all Types
The easiest way to indulge yourself in passion fruit is to simply cut it in half then scoop the pulp out with a spoon. You might want to use a dash of sugar or some other sweetener to reduce any sourness and to bring out the sweetness even better. If you want to remove the seeds from passion fruit, simply use a wire mesh sieve to push the pump through or a cheesecloth.
This will help you create a passion fruit juice that’s great for drinking or you can mix it with other tropical fruits to make an amazing juice.
Store It, Keep It Longer
The best way to store passion fruit that is not ripe yet is to leave it out at room temperature on a countertop or it can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.
FAQs About Passion Fruit
How do you grow passion fruit?
A vining plant that grows quickly, passion fruit needs to be planted where it can climb a trellis or even a wire fence. Passion fruits have tendrils and they naturally want to climb. You will need to ensure that the pH level of the soil is good for passion fruit, rich in compost, and well-drained.
How long does it take for passion fruit to bear fruit?
It takes a newly planted passion fruit Vine about one year to 18 months to produce fruit. Normally you will get one large score of passion fruit during the summer and autumn months unless you live in a tropical area where you can continue to crop and grow more. Keep in mind that passion fruit is ripe when the skin is wrinkled and you should pick it before it drops.
How much water does a passion fruit tree need?
A passion fruit vine needs regular watering especially when it is new and young and also when it’s producing fruit and flowering. You should water it deeply at least a couple of times each week depending on your local weather conditions and the climate in which you live. Make sure you water the entire root system not just around the stem of the vine.