Growing Passion Fruit in Africa

Yellow passion fruit is one of Kenya Africa top three export fruit crops important to Kenya and Africa agricultural future well-being. Agriculture is the backbone of the Kenyan economy, contributing one-third of GDP. Approximately 75 percent of the Kenyan population work at least part-time in the agricultural sector, including growing and picking passion fruit which over 75 percent of agricultural output is from small-scale, rain-fed farming.

Growing Passion Fruit In Kenya Africa

Yellow passion fruit is widely grown in tropical and semitropical regions of Africa, especially in Kenya.

Passion fruit photo 

Passion fruits are sold as juice or as whole fruits. Home cooks also enjoy picking the fruit, slicing into salads, creating icing, candy, ice cream, chutney, sauce, and syrups.

The tender young leaves of passion fruit are also eaten as a vegetable similar to spinach. The seed of passion fruit produces oil that can be used for home and industrial purposes.

Varieties of Passion Fruits

Yellow passion fruit photo

Most passion fruits are vigorous growing vines that can climb up to 30 feet or 9 meters. The fruit varies in color from purple to orange-red and in size from a golf ball to a tennis ball. 

Passiflora edulis Flavicarpa

Golden Passion Fruit or Yellow passion fruit is not a distinct species from the purple passion fruit just slightly larger. The origins of the yellow passion fruit are unclear but it is believed to have also originated in subtropical South America and now grows throughout the world including South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. Passiflora ligularis The sweet tasting orange-yellow colored passion fruit is commonly known as the Sweet Granadilla.

Passiflora caerulea

Blue passion flower is better known for its beautiful flower than the egg-shaped orange-red fruits.

Passiflora edulis Purple or Violet passion fruit is the most popular passion fruit variety. Passiflora edulis is commonly called purple passion fruit originated in subtropical South America, from southern Brazil to Argentina.

How to Eat Passion fruit

Eating passion fruit could not be simpler, cut passion fruit in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the passion fruit juice, gelatinous fruit pulp and seeds into a bowl. The best thing about passion fruit is the seeds are edible; the membrane that separates the seeds from the peel is tart but still delicious. One medium egg sized passion fruit has around 20 calories. 

Passion fruit goes by many names in Africa such as granadilla, grenadella, matunda ya mateso, isiqhamo somdla, and izithelo. The yellow passion fruit has great interest in Kenya as a commercial crop. According to Farm Africa, around 3,800 passion fruit farmers cultivate about 425 hectares or 1,050 acres of passion fruit farming land. 

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