Marianne's Response
Aphid infestation on passion flower leaves
I have 4 different varieties of passion flowers. They are all 4 years old. They all are brought inside for winter, and do well each year. One of them has what I can best describe as tiny clear dots on it. It looks like it is eating at the leaves, I have isolated it, but am stumped as to what the problem is. It’s too big to clean all the leaves, so I’ve sprayed a light soapy water mixture on it. That helped slightly. I’d appreciate any help to save it, it’s taken me 8 years to get them where they are today, not easy in buffalo area to do. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Posted by dblock6161 on February 18, 2014
Marianne's Response
I love the passion you show for your Passion Flower vines and I have tried but failed to grow this heat-loving vine in my garden so I applaud how long you have kept your plants alive. My best guess for what is bugging you is that aphid have moved in on one of your plants. The clear dots you see could be the \"honey dew\" or aphid droppings and the aphid themselves can be hiding under the leaves. A soapy water rinse will help a lot but if there are too many leaves to clean you may need to cut the plant back to just a foot or so tall and clean each leaf. Don't do this pruning until just before you set the plants back outside as pruning will stimulate growth and you don't want the vines to wake up from their winter dormancy. I assume your plants are overwintered in a green house or sun room and this makes a perfect place for aphid to multiply. Once the vines get back outdoors where lady bugs and other predators can help eat the aphid I think your Passion Vines will be fine.
Let us know how it turns out and Keep Growing,
Marianne Binetti
