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Plant Informational Database

Water Lemon

Passiflora laurifolia

a.k.a. Bell Apple, Yellow Granadilla, Golden Apple

Medium sized, ovaloid fruit, usually with a deep orange skin and white-yellow, extremely juicy pulp. The water lemon has an excellent perfumy-mild taste, without the tartness of the common passion fruit. A not widely known, and very underrated passion fruit.

Seed Availability

Seeds are not available for the Water Lemon. Please visit our seed store to view current selections. Seeds were last available in September 2018.

Description

Vigorously growing vine up to 30+ feet long. Grows best in slightly drier humid climates. It isn't too picky about soil or water requirements other than liking ground moisture year-round.

Hardiness

Tropical, will not stand any frost.

Growing Environment

N/A

Propagation

Almost always grown from seeds, but can be propagated by cuttings. Bottom heating the seeds at 70-80F can result in germination at 1-2 weeks, at lower temperatures seeds can take up to 10 weeks to germinate.

Germination Info

It is recommended to pretreat Passiflora seeds before planting. They contain a hard seed coat and are very slow to sprout. There are various pretreatment methods, but the simplest is to soak the seeds for 24-48 hours in warm to the touch water, just prior to planting. Optionally, seeds can be lightly scarified with sand paper to provide some permeation on the seed coat.

Once pretreated, plant seeds 1/2-1" deep in moist, sterile soil. Keep soil temperature consistent at 70-85F, with some day/variation in this range. Cool soils will significantly delay seed germination time if not inhibit germination altogether. Standard room temperature can be too cool for proper germination.

Estimated germination time under optimal conditions: 6 weeks to 6 months.

Uses

Eaten fresh or used in drinks.

Native Range

Native to tropical America. It is an invasive plant in tropical regions and has spread to many other parts of the world. Only occasionally cultivated, but fruits are usually available in markets wherever the vine grows wild.

Related Species

Passifloraceae  
Passiflora actinia
Passiflora actinia
Passiflora alata
Fragrant Granadilla
Passiflora biflora
Two-Flowered Passion Flower
Passiflora caerulea
Blue Passion Flower
Passiflora coccinea
Red Granadilla
Passiflora colinvauxii
Passiflora colinvauxii
Passiflora coriacea
Bat-Leaved Passion Flower
Passiflora edulis
Passion Fruit
Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa
Lilikoi
Passiflora foetida
Wild Water Lemon
Passiflora gibertii
Passiflora gibertii
Passiflora gilbertiana
Passiflora gilbertiana
Passiflora helleri
Passiflora helleri
Passiflora herbertiana
Native Passion Fruit
Passiflora incarnata
Maypop
Passiflora incarnata x cinnicata
Passiflora 'Incense'
Passiflora laurifolia
Water Lemon
Passiflora ligularis
Sweet Granadilla
Passiflora loefgrenii
Garlic Passion Fruit
Passiflora macrophylla
Tree Passion Flower
Passiflora maliformis
Sweet Calabash
Passiflora mollissima
Banana Passion Fruit
Passiflora morifolia
Woodland Passion Flower
Passiflora nitida
Bell Apple
Passiflora pallens
Pineland Passion Flower
Passiflora parritae
Passiflora parritae
Passiflora parritae x antioquiensis
Passiflora parritae x antioquiensis
Passiflora popenovii
Quijos Granadilla
Passiflora quadrangularis
Giant Granadilla
Passiflora setacea
Sururuca
Passiflora sidaefolia
Passiflora sidaefolia
Passiflora subpeltata
White Passion Flower
Passiflora trifasciata
Tri-Colored Passion Vine
Passiflora vitifolia
Grape Leaved Passion Fruit