Cuttings of Ipomoea batatas and Passiflora alata

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JTh

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Cuttings of Ipomoea batatas and Passiflora alata
« on: September 06, 2016, 12:32:48 PM »
I find the strangest plants in the garden centers here in Norway, such as sweet potato and Passiflora alata; the latter has become quite big and fills the whole kitchen window, no need for curtains, and the sweet potato has reached a good size in my small greenhouse. I have taken cuttings from both of them, and I wonder if I will have any luck with these if I bring them with me next time I go to Greece (in a few weeks time)? We may have some frost occasionally, but not every winter. Has anybody else any experience with these in similar climates?

A second question, the Passiflora alata is very nice and green and looks very healthy, but I have so far never seen any flowers, could you give me some advice on how to stimulate flowering?
« Last Edit: September 06, 2016, 03:11:13 PM by JTh »
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

David Dickinson

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Re: Cuttings of Ipomoea batatas and Passiflora alata
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2016, 04:38:14 PM »
I don't see Passiflora alata around in Roman gardens but I have seen it on sale a couple of times. However, there is a nice specimen that I see on the coast near a friend's house in Posillipo (in the Bay of Naples and, to all intents and purposes, part of Naples but please don't tell the locals I said that). I have seen it for a few years now so it has survived recent winters and I am 99% certain that there won't be any frosts at all being at around 50m above sea level and with the sea about 500m away. I don't know if it gets any watering apart from what nature gives it or not. It grows up through shrubs along with Thunbergia grandiflora, cuttings of which struggled for me in Rome.

I seem to remember a specimen of P alata in La Mortella gardens in Ischia in the Bay of Naples. But I didn't notice it the last time I was there. Maybe it had been moved or it hadn't survived.

Good luck. I find the only red Passiflora which works for me in Rome is P. "Lady Margaret" and that gets cut down to pot level in the coldest parts of winter but usually comes back.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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JTh

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Re: Cuttings of Ipomoea batatas and Passiflora alata
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2016, 08:57:25 AM »
Thank you for your comments, David, I guess I just have to try and see what happens
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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Alisdair

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Re: Cuttings of Ipomoea batatas and Passiflora alata
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2016, 05:56:02 PM »
Jorun, I've been away with v little internet so have only just seen this. We tried P. alata in our hot garden in Greece and it died the first summer, even with twice-weekly irrigation. I think it was simply much too dry for it. But good luck!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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JTh

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Re: Cuttings of Ipomoea batatas and Passiflora alata
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2016, 10:17:39 AM »
Thanks, Alisdair. Since I already have a couple of rooted cuttings, I'll have a try, it's probably not quite as hot and dry in Halkidiki. I still have a large mother plant used as a curtain here in Oslo and can make new cuttings next spring. But what do I do to get flowers on it? My P. caerula is producing flowers all the time.


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by Jorun Tharaldsen, on Flickr


P9220171 Passiflora caerula.jpg
by Jorun Tharaldsen, on Flickr
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.