Talk about eye candy!  Passiflora loefgrenii is a rare, new species from Brazil with drop-dead gorgeous blooms.  Personally i think this is one of the most beautiful of all Passiflora species.  The pinkish-purple petals and sepals reflex downward and are topped with lavender-blue filaments, drawing hummingbirds to the pinwheel of speckled stamens and pistils.  These 4 inch wide blossoms are suspended from long stems that curve to point the blooms upward for easy viewing!  This spectacular vine is a naturally occurring species, not a cultivated hybrid.

Passiflora loefgrenii is a vigorous, medium-sized vine with 3-lobed leaves.  It has a very long blooming season, flowering in waves throughout most of the year when temperatures are mild.  It comes from cooler, coastal areas of Brazil, but it has been known to flower in Florida during the winter months.  Still, i don't know if it will thrive in areas that regularly get into the mid-90s or above (30 degrees C), especially if nights are warm.  I also don't know its frost tolerance.  I recommend bringing it indoors when temperatures drop below 35 degrees F (2 C).  It grows well in a 5 gallon (20 liter) pot in fertile, well-draining soil kept evenly moist.  It enjoys part sun, and will probably want some shade from hot afternoon sun.

 Photo #2 courtesy of Franz Friedrich

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Germination tips for this plant