Common Red Passion Flower Plants

• Variety: Common Red Passion Flower — vivid pink with striking corona
• Latin name: Passiflora caerulea (red form)
• Flower: Vivid pink petals, white corona darkening to purple at the base
• Scent: Light
• Climbing method: Tendril climber
• Height: To 8m
• Flowering: July–September
• Hardiness: H4 (–10 to –5°C)
• Evergreen: Generally evergreen in southern UK; deciduous in the north depending on winter
• RHS AGM: No
• Sold as: P9 and 3L pots. Peat-free compost
• Plant outdoors: Spring to early autumn (avoid planting in cold weather)
• Delivered: March–November typically. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Common Red Passion Flower – Vivid Pink With a Dramatic Centre

The outer petals of this passion flower are vivid pink — not the quiet blush of a tea rose, but the unapologetic pink of something that knows it is the most interesting plant on the wall. The inner corona is white, darkening to purple at the base of each filament, creating the layered, target-like pattern that makes passion flowers so instantly recognisable. The overall effect is warmer and more floral than the classic blue form, and it draws the eye from the far end of a garden.

Like all Passiflora caerulea forms, it climbs by tendrils, grows vigorously to about 8m, and is semi-evergreen to evergreen depending on your winter and your wall. It flowers from July into September, with each bloom lasting a day or two before the next opens. In a warm summer, decorative orange fruit may follow. The plant wants sun, warmth, and good drainage — in that order of importance.

A Warm Wall and Warm Companions

The vivid pink flowers work with hot planting schemes. Pair the red passion flower with dahlias and cosmos at ground level for a border that peaks in July and August. For a cooler contrast, plant Constance Elliott (the white AGM passion flower) on the same wall — the pink and white together, with their matching flower architecture, create something genuinely striking. A south-facing brick wall collects heat during the day and releases it through the night, providing the micro-climate that passion flowers need to thrive.

Why Ashridge?

Every plant is guaranteed, delivered by next-day courier, and backed by our Which? Best Plant Supplier award. Somerset-based team on the phone for advice. Browse our passion flower range or the full climbing collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Common Red passion flower hardy?

Rated H4, tolerating temperatures down to about –10°C against a warm, well-drained wall. In practice, most of England and Wales south of the Pennines can grow it outdoors year-round. The combination that kills passion flowers is cold and wet — the roots rot in waterlogged soil during winter. Good drainage and a generous autumn mulch are the two things that matter most.

Will the Common Red passion flower stay evergreen?

In southern, sheltered, and coastal gardens, it generally keeps its leaves through winter. In colder or more exposed positions, expect partial or complete leaf drop. The plant regrows from the base or from lower stems in spring. Either way, once established, it is surprisingly tough.

How big does the Common Red passion flower grow?

To about 8m in favourable conditions — a warm wall with space to spread. It grows fast: covering a fence panel or filling a large trellis within two or three seasons. If it outgrows its space, prune in early spring by cutting side shoots back to a few buds from the main framework.

Is the fruit from passion flowers edible?

The orange fruit is ornamental rather than culinary. Passiflora caerulea is a distant relative of the commercial passion fruit (P. edulis), but the fruit has little flavour. Its value is visual — glossy orange eggs hanging from the stems add autumn colour when the flowers have finished.