Passionfruit infertility? No fruit on my passionfruit.

by Ken
(Melbourne, Australia)

Now three years in, our passionfruit (on grafted root stock) is again producing flowers in abundance and looks a picture of perfection. It has yet to set a single fruit. I have corrected the ph level, added sulphate of potash (both suggested by the local nursery), fertilised and even spoken to it kindly.
In response, it continues to drop its spent flowers.
Any ideas friends?

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Passionfruit infertility? No fruit on my passionfruit.

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May 05, 2010

ants on vines
by: bill t.

The ants are not the problem with fruit or no fruit. There is some other insect or plant disorder playing host to the ants which are after whatever the other pest is leaving behind.have a look beyond the ants and find out the underlying attraction for the ants.Cheers Bill T. :)

Apr 10, 2010

Follow-up by Original Contributor
by: Ken

I have effectively eliminated ants as the cause of infertility with passion-fruit. We have two vines - standard purple and Panama Gold - and both are constantly alive with black ants.
Unlike the last contributor however, this season our Gold has taken off with a heavy fruit load whereas the purple, though the more prolific flowerer, continues to drop them.
The only consolation is that the Gold, far more vigorous, will eventually cover the barren plant and eiher shame it into production - or mercifully strangle it!

Apr 09, 2010

passionfruit not setting fruit
by: mallory

our nellie kelly passionfruit is loaded with fruit this year. however our panama red and panama gold has lots of flowers but is not setting fruit even after hand pollinating.

Mar 07, 2010

Ants on passionfruit
by: Margaret Brisbane

Can someone let me know if the myriad of black ants that run out of the flowers on my passionfurit are the cause of dropping flowers and no fruit?

I am already trying to cross polinate with a paintbrush due to lack of bees.

It seems there is a lack of bees world wide due to pests and over chemical use.

Feb 12, 2010

Passionfruit Flower Drop - Ants?
by: Ken, Melbourne

Thanks for the suggestions. I have been busy with a paint brush trying to replicate what bees do so well and have set one (yippee!) fruit after much effort. Bees are not working the vines though are active with squash type flowers.

My paintbrush efforts have revealed another possible cause - the vines are 'running' with black ants and every time I pollenated with the brush, ants would scurry out of the flower. I had thought their presence of no concern but now I wonder?

Any thoughts and control possibilities would be appreciated.

Feb 06, 2010

flower drop
by: bill t

Why do my vines flower but don't set fruit?

There are several reasons for vines flowering but not setting fruit.

* Poor pollination. This is the main cause and can be due to bees not working the flowers (for example during heavy rain); temperatures being too low or too high for pollination (optimum temperatures for pollen germination are between 20�C and 35�C); or rain directly reducing the viability of the pollen (moisture causes the pollen grains to split).
* Boron deficiency.
* Extended periods of overcast weather. This may cause flower drop regardless of pollination problems. I copied this from a website, hope it helps Cheers Bill:)

Jan 28, 2010

Bees?
by: Ann

This was a complaint made by a friend to me a number of years ago and it turned out there was a lack of bees in her yard to pollinate the flowers. Hand pollination with a paint brush finally gave her fruit.

If this is your problem, perhaps planting some bee attracting plants close by such as lavender, salvia or borage.