Passiflora tarminiana
Banana passion fruit, Banana Passion Fruit
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Family: Passifloraceae · Type: Vine · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Passiflora tarminiana (Banana passion fruit) is a non-native California vine in the Passifloraceae family, recognized by . Key features: very large oblong fruits 10-14 cm long, serrate leaf margins.
Banana passion fruit is a naturalized annual found in central California coastal regions in pine, oak, and riparian woodland at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from June to December, this plant produces white flowers with distinctive corona knobs hanging pendently. Growing with serrate-margined leaves that have early-deciduous stipules, it develops vining or sprawling stems. Its leaves feature distinctive serrated edges with a soft, textured margin. The fruit is an elongate yellow to yellow-orange oblong structure 10 to 14 centimeters long and 3.5 to 4.5 centimeters wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated with no sympatric species. Key features: very large oblong fruits 10-14 cm long, serrate leaf margins
Habitat and range
Habitat: Pine, oak, or riparian woodland
Elevation: < 100 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Monterey
Outside California: native to northern South America
Bloom period
Passiflora tarminiana blooms Jun-Dec.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Clematis: Passiflora has complex flowers with a corona of filaments; Clematis has simple flowers without this crown.; vs Citrus: Passiflora climbs with tendrils; Citrus is an upright woody plant without tendrils.; vs Crescentia: Passiflora is a vine with tendrils; Crescentia is a tree without tendrils.; vs Nigella: Passiflora is a woody vine; Nigella is an herbaceous annual without tendrils.; vs Hedera: Passiflora climbs with tendrils; ivy climbs with aerial rootlets, no tendrils.
Frequently asked questions
Is Passiflora tarminiana native to California?
No. Passiflora tarminiana is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Passiflora tarminiana bloom?
Passiflora tarminiana blooms Jun-Dec.
Where in California does Passiflora tarminiana grow?
Passiflora tarminiana occurs in San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Monterey, at elevations of < 100 m.
What plant family does Passiflora tarminiana belong to?
Passiflora tarminiana is in the Passifloraceae family, genus Passiflora.
Is Passiflora tarminiana invasive in California?
Passiflora tarminiana is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.