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Corky Passionfruit
Environmental Weed
Botanical Name: Passiflora suberosa
Description
Corky Passionfruit is a native of tropical South America. It is a perennial vine that climbs, via tendrils, up to 6 m high on supporting vegetation.
The lower stems are corky and rooting when in contact with the ground. Leaves are 3–10 cm long on a stalk 0.5–2 cm long. Fruit are globe-shaped, mostly 1–1.5 cm wide, initially green ripening dark purple to black and containing numerous seeds. Seeds are 3–4 mm long.
The plant is distinguished by corky bark on older stems. Flowers have an outer crown-like ring of tissue (corona) purple below and inner corona white. Flowers late spring to autumn.
A troublesome weed in Melanesia, Hawaii, and now spreading in SE Asia, India and South Africa.
Dispersal
The weed is spread by bird-dispersed seed and via trailing stems.
Impact on bushland
This weed is most troublesome in the subcanopy and ground vegetation layers. Leaves, stems and green fruit are poisonous. It smothers native trees and plants and restricts light to the understoreys.
Control
Manual: Hand pull the main stem and bag fruit reachable or that has fallen. Another option, if the vine is large and difficult to access, is the cut and paint method with glyphosate.
See Manual Weed Control Techniques.
Chemical: Please contact your local control authority for advice on chemical control.
Similar species
May be confused with Native Passionfruit.