Discussion

Passion fruit is a fruit bearing vine that was originally native to eastern South America from Brazil to northeast Argentina. Since its discovery by Europeans, it has spread to tropical and sub-tropical areas around the world. In some places like New South Wales and Queensland Australia, it is considered to be an environmental weed. It is being cultivated in other areas, including Japan were it is called tokei-sō. The passion fruit blossom has a very distinct appearance.

Here is a side view of a different species, but its shape is basically the same.

Blossoms are up to 3 inches across. 

There are several types of passion fruit. Passiflora edulis is sometimes referred to as purple passion fruit. It is the most widely cultivated species for commercial use. It is a perennial vine that climbs on other plants or objects.

Tendrils help it do this.

Passion fruit leaves start out with simple shapes and evolve into more complex shapes as they mature.

Here is a close look at a mature passion fruit leaf.

Here are photos of a different species of passion fruit, Passiflora incarnata, but its general appearance and anatomy is similar to Passiflora edulis. The photos below show a new bud forming and one that is starting to open up.

 This shows the fully open Passiflora incarnata blossom and the alternating sepals and petals.

This is the anatomy of the Passiflora incarnata blossom. It is basically the same as the Passiflora edulis. 

The Passiflora edulis blossoms begin to appear in the early spring, and the fruit matures in about 80 days. Here is an immature fruit.

This is a Japanese hothouse passion fruit farm in Japan.

The deep purple fruit are ready to pick.

Passion fruit doesn't necessarily need to be eaten only when the skin is perfectly smooth.

Both of these are fine to eat. The flavor is best when it has that wrinkly appearance.

Passion fruit looks like this inside

t is filled with tiny edible seeds as well as juicy pulp. The rind is not edible.

The flavor can be quite tart when it is just mature, but later on, the flavor is described as citrusy with hints of melon, pineapple, or kiwi. As the fruit ripens further, it increases in sweetness.

Besides the pulp being good when eaten raw, there are a wide variety of uses in countries around the world. It can be added to fruit salads, used as toppings for ice cream, and flavoring for cheesecake and a wide variety of other foods. The juice is made into a variety of beverages, some of which are alcoholic. Hawai'ians call passion fruit liliko'i. Lilikoi-flavored syrup is used as a topping for shaved ice, soft drinks, a glaze, and to marinate meat and vegetables. Another use is to make a fruit curd called liliko'i butter.

It is made from passion fruit juice with the seeds filtered out, butter, egg yolk, and sugar. 

Not all passion fruit plants produce fruit. Some are just decorative. This Crimson Passion Flower is an example.

Artwork

Tanigami Konan (1879–1928)

Little is known about Konan other than that he was known for his nihonga paintings (post-Edo Period paintings in a traditional Japanese style) and also for publishing many kachō-go prints in books. He is best known for his 1917 5-volume A Picture Album of Western Plants and Flowers (Seiyo Soka Zofu). This print of a passion fruit was one of them.