Yesterday I tasted the season's first three passionfruit from our vine. Warm from the sun, and delicious.
Unfortunately when you have passionvines, you have also have passionvine hoppers.
The nymphs we have always called 'fluffybums' in our family, as they have a tuft of hairs on their abdomens and they can even move this tail around like a peacock's. They look like tiny frogs. They even jump when you touch them.
The adults are little delta-wing bugs that also suck the sap. Unfortunately the holes exude a little sap when they move on, and that sap drips down onto fruit, leaves, vehicles and anything else underneath, and grows a black mould. But never mind, it washes off with the rain when we get it (it's been about a week) or under the tap.
You're so lucky - I have a passionfruit vine in London which I love but we would NEVER get fruit....such a shame. Glad to have found your blog - gorgeous photos Lx
ReplyDeleteOK I found that fascinating! I've never eaten a passionfruit. Perhaps I should try!
ReplyDeleteMy Passionfruit vine would not fruit and I found it was covered in ants so I presumed there was a nasty little critter on it they were devouring. There was nothing to do but spray with a harsh pesticide so I pulled it out instead and planted a jasmin.
ReplyDeleteHave you eaten the yellow variety - sweeter more subtle flavour?
Nice to meet you L. I guess London is not warm enough?
ReplyDeleteDebby - I think they are delicious. You eat them ideally when they are wrinkled, and although some people do, I don't crunch the seeds!
Delwyn, it's possible you had a huge infestation of vinehoppers and that sapped (haha) all the vine's energy. The ants would be eating the sweet sap drops, possibly. I haven't tried the yellow one. Jasmine is a weed here..same as honeysuckle.
I have an ornamental passion vine. Why do I have the ornamental sort? It grows orange fruit which apparently isn't edible, but goes mushy very quickly.
ReplyDeleteI rather like your pesky little vine hoppers. They have transparent wings! :D
They are cute Jay. We used to press their backs when we were kids, and make them jump. They shoot away into your hair or wherever. They are always appearing inside too. At the risk of being boring, the ornamental vine (gorgeous flowers?) is a weed here too.
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