也許﹐曾經在飲料櫃裡見過百香果的果汁但是從來沒有喝過﹐大概是小時候嚐過未熟的果子沒有留下好印象。

反而是到西雅圖見到這個名為 passion flower 的蔓藤花非常驚艷。由於氣候較冷﹐沒有見到結實已然秋涼。

據說此花在美國常見﹐尤其在溫暖的美國東南部﹐簡直遍地生長﹐甚至被視為野草。它的名稱起初也不是多響亮﹐只是十六世紀被修行的教士們聯想到耶穌受難時的頭像而易名為passion flower。

中文名稱西番蓮﹑百香果…等。

此間的名園中特別開闢了一個玫瑰園﹐兩邊入口的攀藤玫瑰架上﹐同時攀著一些西番蓮﹐這段日子正是花期﹐在架上各異其勢。

欣賞玫瑰園的遊客常忽略它們的存在。有人看我拍照會湊過來瞧瞧﹐才發現它們毫不喧嘩地開著。

有趣的是﹐女兒看我的文章常求教於谷大仙翻譯﹐卻常常不知所云﹐下面舉一例﹕當然﹐不無小補啦!

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The History of the Passion Flower

The Passion Flower is a common roadside weed, found throughout many areas of the
Southeastern United States where it often grows in large masses in ditches and open fields.
Passiflora incarnata derived the early common name of Maypop from
the way it just seems to 'pop' out of the ground in May.
Maypops were eventually renamed as the Passion Flower by missionaries in the early 1500s.
The missionaries believed (or professed) that several parts of the plant, including
the petals, rays, and sepals, symbolized features of the crucifixion of Christ.
Regardless of what you choose to call the Passiflora incarnata vine,
these 3 inch diameter flowers are very unique and beautiful.
They begin blooming in July and continue until frost.
The vines can easily grow up to 15 feet in a season.
Grow it on a fence or trellis, or simply allow it to scramble harmlessly over your shrubs and trees.

What do passionfruits like and dislike?

Like all fast growing plants passionfruit needs a lot of nutrients. That lush green foliage has to come from somewhere, it can not materialise out of nothing. So passionfruit vines need fertile soils, probably additional fertiliser, and they appreciate all the compost and mulch you can spare.

They also need full sun, a warm climate, and protection from wind. A sunny, sheltered site in a frost free climate is ideal. There are some purple varieties that can handle the odd very light frost. And sometimes, even though the top of a vine is killed by frost, the roots reshoot. However, the warmer the climate, the easier it is to grow passion fruit.

Passionfruit need something to climb over. A fence, a water tank, a trellis, anything will do. Watch where you plant them, because they will be up in the crown of a nearby tree before you know...

西番蓮的歷史 google translation 不無小補

西番蓮是一種常見的路邊雜草，在整個的許多地區發現
美國東南部的地方往往生長在大型群眾的溝渠和開放領域。
西番蓮來源於Maypop早期常見的名字
的方式，它似乎只是'流行'出地面的在5月。
Maypops最終被改名為在16世紀初由傳教士的西番蓮。
相信（或自稱）的傳教士工廠的幾個部分，包括
花瓣，光線和萼片，象徵基督受難的特點。
無論您選擇調用西番蓮藤什麼，
這些直徑3英寸的花是非常獨特和美麗。
他們開始綻放在七月和繼續下去，直到霜凍。
藤蔓可以很容易地成長為15英尺的一個賽季。
它生長在一個圍欄或網格，或者乾脆讓它無害搶在你的灌木和樹木。

什麼passionfruits喜歡和不喜歡？

像所有的快速生長的植物需要百香果很多營養成分。那綠油油的枝葉有來自某個地方，它不能兌現無中生有。因此，西番蓮藤需要肥​​沃的土壤，可能更多的化肥，他們感謝所有的堆肥和覆蓋你可以備用。

他們還需要從風充滿陽光，溫暖的氣候和保護。一個陽光明媚，在避風霜免費氣候的網站是理想的。也有一些紫色的品種，可以處理奇很輕霜凍。有時，即使葡萄樹的頂部被殺害霜，根部重拍。然而，氣候溫暖​​，越容易成長百香果。

百香果需要的東西爬過一個圍欄，一個水箱，一個格子，隨便什麼都行。看你在哪裡種植他們，因為他們將在附近的一棵樹的樹冠，你才知道......

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