In general, passion flowers are considered to be quite easy to care for, only some species from tropical regions are a little tricky. Nevertheless, an infestation by plant lice or spider mites is not uncommon, and fungal diseases are also common. As a preventive measure, be sure to keep new plants isolated first, so that a possible infestation does not ruin the entire stock.
Insect infestation in Passiflora
Passiflora love the warmth and the sun, but are also very susceptible to an infestation with spider mites, especially when it is dry. You can tell whether your plant also has these animals by the characteristic white dots. These appear primarily on the underside of the leaf. In the case of a severe infestation, white webs appear, to which the leaf-sap-sucking mites owe their name. Prevention is best, so try to keep the humidity levels higher during hot, dry summers. Mist your plants regularly with water. Mealybugs and mealybugs are also difficult to combat, because the only thing that usually helps with these adorable little animals is to collect and wipe off the infested leaves. Effective pesticides are almost only approved for industrial agriculture.
damage from fungi
As soon as the leaves and sometimes also the young shoots of the Passiflora are covered with a black film that appears sooty, the plant is infested with a sooty mold fungus. This always occurs as a result of an infestation by mealybugs, mealybugs or aphids, since the sweet honeydew excreted by the insects promotes the colonization of the fungus. As a result, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. In the case of waterlogging, various soil fungi feel very comfortable in the moist substrate and let the roots rot, which in turn leads to the death of the plant. You can recognize waterlogging by the fact that the plant looks dried up, although the substrate is still damp. Sometimes repotting helps, whereby the old soil has to be disposed of and the roots (and thus also the above-ground parts of the plant) have to be trimmed.
Damage from overwintering
Don't be surprised if some of your Passiflora leaves turn yellow and fall off in winter. To a certain extent, this is perfectly normal. Overwinter your passion flowers frost-free, but cool and above all in a bright and ventilated place - if possible not in the immediate vicinity of a heater. Passion flowers also need a lot of light in winter and do not survive a dark hibernation.
tips and tricks
If your passiflora doesn't really want to bloom, it's usually because it doesn't get enough sun. Also, flower buds will dry up prematurely if you don't water and/or fertilize adequately.