Skip to content
How To Grow Flowers
Menu
Tropical flowers · Growing guide

Passionflower Care: Sun, Pruning, Zones and Spread

Passionflower care for the ornamental vine Passiflora incarnata (maypop): zones 7B to 11, full sun, pruning, spread by suckers and a daily summer bloom.

Iris BellPublished Oct 25, 2026 · Updated Oct 25, 2026 · 2 min read
Pale purple passionflower with a fringed corona and green tendrils
Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata, the maypop) is a fast-growing trailing or climbing perennial vine that grows in USDA zones 7B to 11, needs full sun for the best flowering and needs regular pruning to stay in bounds. Clemson describes it as a fast-growing vine native to the Southeast. NC State says it is woody in warm winters but dies to the ground in cold ones, so it behaves like a perennial vine over a wide range of zones. This guide covers the ornamental Passiflora incarnata.

USDA zones
7B–11 (UF/IFAS)
Sun
Full sun; tolerates part shade
Lifecycle
Perennial
Origin
The Americas
Soil
Average fertility, well drained
Water
Drought tolerant; mulch keeps roots cool
Bloom time
Summer and early fall; each flower about a day
Feeding
Two or three times a year

Zones and winter

UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says hardy in zones 7B to 11. NC State explains the effect: in warm winter climates the vine is woody, and in cold ones it dies to the ground.

Sun, soil and water

Light

NC State says full sun for best flowering, and that it tolerates part shade. UF/IFAS EDIS also says the plant requires a landscape position with full sun for best flowering.

Soil

UF/IFAS EDIS says average-fertility, well-drained soil, and that it grows in different soils.

Water

NC State says it is drought tolerant, and that loose mulch keeps the roots cool.

Feeding

UF/IFAS EDIS says to fertilize two or three times a year.

Pruning and spread

UF/IFAS says regular pruning is needed to keep passionflower in check. NC State says that if you prefer a bushy habit, pinch the vines back after the first growing season. It also says the plant spreads by root suckers under good conditions.

Keep it away from the house. NC State gives passionflower a high flammability rating and says it should not be planted within the defensible space of your home.

Bloom time

UF/IFAS EDIS says flowers appear in summer and early fall, and each flower lasts about a day. Gardening Solutions says the same about the day-long bloom.

Grow these next

Mandevilla is a climbing vine that Clemson says comes indoors before the first freeze in most of the country. Bougainvillea is another frost-sensitive plant for a sunny spot. The tropical flowers collection compares the group.

Frequently asked questions

What zones can passionflower grow in?

UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says hardy in zones 7B to 11. NC State says it is woody in warm winter climates but dies to the ground in cold winter climates.

How much sun does passionflower need?

NC State says full sun for best flowering, and that it tolerates part shade.

When does passionflower bloom?

UF/IFAS EDIS says flowers appear in summer and early fall. Each flower lasts about a day.

How do I keep passionflower under control?

UF/IFAS says regular pruning is needed to keep it in check. NC State says that under good conditions it spreads by root suckers, and that pinching the vines back after the first growing season gives a bushier habit.

Where should I not plant passionflower?

NC State gives it a high flammability rating and says it should not be planted within the defensible space of your home.

Sources

  1. Passiflora incarnata, NC State Extension Plant Toolbox
  2. Passion Flower, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
  3. Passiflora incarnata: Maypop (FP457), UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS)
  4. What Is It Wednesday: Passionflower, Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home and Garden Information Center
Grow these next