The possibility of planting Passiflora for profit
Many people enjoy the tropical taste of passionfruit but are unaware there is another fruit in the same genus that can be grown closer to home.
Maypop (Passiflora incarnata) is a perennial vine that’s native to North America. It’s valued for its tropical fruit flavor, adaptability and resilience to cold and drought. Unlike passionfruit (Passiflora edulis), which thrives only in tropical and subtropical climates like Hawaii, California and Florida, maypop has potential as a high-value fruit crop for temperate regions.
Maypop, on the other hand, grows as far north as Pennsylvania and Illinois. It sprouts in May – hence its name – and freezes to ground in late autumn. Its roots survive and resprout the following spring. Maypop is often seen around tree fruit orchards.
The maypop boasts unique, attractive flowers and is most often planted and appreciated for its aesthetics. Its leaves and flowers can be used to make teas. Its fruit has a tropical flavor and is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Maypop seeds are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
There are some cultivars commercially available, but mainly for ornamental use. A team of researchers at Kentucky State University (KYSU) wanted to see if they might be good for consumption.
Presenting “Plant Growth & Fruit Quality Assessment of Two Promising Maypop Cultivars, ‘PinkPop’ and ‘Snow-Pop,’ in Kentucky” at the most recent American Society for Horticultural Science conference was KYSU State Specialist of Horticulture & Local Foods Srijana Thapa Magar. Co-authors of the study included Dipesh Shrestha and Kirk Pomper of KYSU.
The two maypop cultivars were grown and tested in a field trial at KYSU’s Harold R. Benson Research Farm (between USDA Hardiness Zones 6 and 7) in 2024. The trial assessed plant growth, fruit yield, fruit quality and seed characteristics. Fruits from a wild relative were analyzed for comparison.
Magar reported the wild maypop tended to be larger than the tested cultivars, both in fruit diameter and weight. However, ‘PinkPop’ and ‘SnowPop’ both had about half the amount of seeds the wild maypop did – a good ratio for pulp in the trialed cultivars.
Size-wise, the heights and stem diameters of ‘PinkPop’ and ‘SnowPop’ were about even. The tested cultivars had much higher Brix, making them both sweeter than wild maypop.
‘SnowPop’ did produce more fruits and had higher yield than ‘PinkPop,’ though the difference was not statistically significant. ‘PinkPop,’ however, produced significantly heavier fruits than ‘SnowPop’ even though both had a similar average fruit diameter (about 36 mm).
The results of the trial, Magar said, showed that both maypop cultivars exhibit strong potential as a high-value fruit crop in Kentucky – and elsewhere.
‘PinkPop’ offered a balance of fruit size and sweetness. ‘SnowPop’ had less seeds per fruit, making it more beneficial for fresh consumption and processing. There were a wide range of flavors in the harvested fruit, though, so future efforts will explore cross-breeding to enhance fruit quality. Consumer preferences and value-added product development also need to be explored.
by Courtney Llewellyn
