Banana Passionfruit
About Banana passionfruit
Banana passionfruit is native to the Andean valleys of South America. The yellow fruits were named for their similarity in color and shape to a small banana and grow on evergreen climbing vines that can reach 6 to 7 meters in length.. They are planted in home gardens to cover trellises, walls, and fences, producing large and vibrant, bright flowers that attract hummingbirds and other beneficial garden pollinators. The vines and blooms are viewed as highly ornamental and give home gardens a colorful, whimsical feel, as the flowers hang from the vines off of green tube-like stems. There are many species of passionfruit vine. Banana passionfruit vines have an aggressive nature, growing and killing native plants by blocking their access to sunlight. The vines are considered a threatening plant to fragile ecosystems in Australia. They are an invasive plant on the Mornington Peninsula.
How it escapes
Banana passionfruit seeds are dispersed by birds, possums, rats and bats. Stem fragments can easily strike upon contact with soil and cause further infestation. It can be spread by humans via eating or discarding fruit in garden waste or as litter. It can also be introduced into your garden in unprocessed mulch.
How to keep it in your garden
Physical control: Hand pull whenever possible or dig plant out at the roots.
Cut off above ground or tie stems in air to prevent layering. All parts of the plant should be burned or placed in a plastic bag and into the trash.