Upoffmebum

By Upoffmebum

Passionfruit flower

So what does the Nellie Kelly, self-pollinating, grafted passionfruit plant do once it's finished pushing out all those glorious dark flavour-balls of fruit? Why break out in a bunch of brand new autumnal flowers, of course. 
Why would it do that? You'd think the plant might prefer to be luxuriating in a well-earned, post-growth-spurt rest by now. Take a bit of a breather; put its feet up; rest and recuperate; kick back and chill for a spell.
Not suggesting that this is strange or troubling behaviour - indeed, the flowers are a lovely and unexpected bonus. More exposing my base ignorance of the plant's growth cycle.
I do know they're supposed to start flowering in early to mid-spring, before fruiting at the start of summer. And, right on cue, that's exactly what this plant did.
Dr Google reckons it's not that unusual for passionfruit plants to keep flowering well into autumn. That's fine, and for strictly amateur gardener me, pretty uncontroversial. But still flowering when there hasn't been any fruit in sight for at least a month now? What on earth are the flowers for?
As I say, I love the flowers, but do these new ones mean we can expect more fruit in autumn, or beyond?
From past experience, don't think so - so guessing that this lot are purely for the gardener's pleasure. Job done.

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