Passiflora antioquiensis

Native to the lush terrains of Colombia between 6,000 and 9,000 feet in Colombia​, this vine has made a home in New Zealand. The flowers are red to pink, which later give way to ellipsoid yellow fruit, up to 4 inches long, boasting a delicate, sweet flavor often likened to vanilla​. The vine has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Its value extends to its hybrid offspring, Passiflora × exoniensis, birthed in collaboration with Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima, which too has been graced with the Award of Garden Merit. Although not one of the mainstream species in commercial cultivation, the plant’s fruits are appreciated for their delightful taste, employed raw or in beverage concoction. Photographed in the eastern Andes mountain range of Colombia.