Passiflora ‘White Lightning’
A new addition to the collection is this passion flower: ‘White Lightning’. I bought it when it had no buds but I am keen to get more hybrids and this is one of the hardier ones – not surprising when you consider that it is a hybrid of the more or less hardy P. caerulea and the pure white ‘Constance Elliott’ which is more or less just a seedling of P. caerulea that was raised in Exeter, Devon, in 1884. As a consequence it is not that surprising that the flower is mid way in colour and, to my eyes, a bit disappointing! I will see how well it perform and that may save it, if it blooms its socks off!
The flowers are fragrant – if you shove your nose in them. They have a rather strange ‘Germolene’ sort of smell. I wish I could be more enthustiastic!
The Biking Gardener 
I guess it’s hard to be enthusiastic about Germolene 🙂
unless you have just dropped something on your foot!
🙂
Well I like it, I grow Constance Elliott but find she’s not wanting to flower. I also grow P’ Pura Vida. Are you trying to collect Passiflora ? I have grown P’ Quadrangularis from Plant world Seeds this year. I have two plants one is smaller than the other at approx’ 20 cms tall, would you like it, when I send seeds of the Thalictrum I promised you ? The seeds are on the verge of dispersing so I will be collecting them this weekend. Sue…
I would like to collect them and when i get more settled again it is one of the things I would like to do. that is very kind of you and will take you up on your offer and see if I can swap something 🙂 Thank you
I think a lot of passion flowers may be virused and that my be why Constance is reluctant to flower – I will see if I can roots some White lightning for you
The note below from the breeder reinforces what you have said in that he reckons ‘White Lightning’ is far more likely to flower profusely.
Hi.I am the breeder of White Lightning and would recommend full sun to ensure pure white flowers. The variety surpasses others in the following ways– I have had 180 nodes with a flower per node whereas other passiflora run out of steam— circa 50% of flowers set fruit — it makes a superb curtain when trained on pergola horizontal bars with side shoots allowed to tumble down— it flowers earlier than other varieties with met
Hello – great to hear from you and your definitive words on the merit of the plant! I confess mine was small at the time but I was glad to have got it and I hope it will perform to the best of its ability later this year. And thank you for your efforts – we need specialists like you to create amazing new plants! In admiration – Geoff