This is by far the best known of the passionfruit and is native to Brazil. It is a subtropical, fairly densely growing, evergreen vine. There are also red and black variations of this species.
It prefers a moist, well drained, fertile, neutral to slightly alkaline soil. It withstands occasional light frosts, and prefers a sunny position. The fruiting season can be very long in warmer conditions and typically two crops are produced each year. In some parts of the world the two seasons extend into one another providing year round fruit.
The ripe, aromatic fruits are eaten raw, juiced, bottled, made into sauces, icing, cakes, jellies, etc. They are made into a soft drink and also a wine. An edible oil is extracted from the seeds which is comparable to sunflower and soybean oil. The seed contains about 12% protein and 50% fibre. The juice is used medicinally as a digestive stimulant and as a treatment for gastric cancer. Unripe fruit contain levels of cyanogenic glycosides which may have toxicological significance.