This is a tidy vine that is covered with silky soft hairs. The texture of the leaves is really pleasant! The vine grows vigorously, but since it branches freely, it doesn't get leggy like some passionvines which makes it a good choice for hanging baskets or even indoors in a bright window. The flowers are red on the back surface and white on the front with a bright green ring of tiny filaments in the middle. Tiny fruit resembling blueberries follow.
This is a high mountain species from Columbia, so it will not tolerate extreme summer heat. If it gets over 85 degrees F without cooling off at night for weeks at a time, it will grow leaves just fine, but probably won't bloom. However, if you want flowers, it is a charming houseplant if you have air conditioning!
Subgenus: Decaloba. Photo #1 courtesy of Michael Graupe and #2 Randy Story.
Light: Full sun, part shade. There will be less flowers in part shade.
Water: Moderate.
Soil: A wide range of soil, but it must be well-drained.
Fertilizer: A slow-release, bloom-booster type fertilizer is appreciated, but beware of using a fertilizer with too much nitrogen as it may push leaves at the expense of flowers.
Hardiness: Zone 10.