lilikoi

Description:

Lilikoi is mainly characterized to be known as the passion fruit. Passion fruit is known to grow anywhere on the tropical belt. Although the origin of the passion fruit is unknown, people assume that the passion fruit came about in Brazil. Where the 16th Century Spanish Catholics named it "Flor de las cinco llagas" or "flower of the five wounds" after its distinctive purple flower. Since the passion fruit is known to grow everywhere, the passion fruit has many different names in the different areas that it grows. For example, lilikoi in Hawaii, Maracuya in Brazil and Ecuador, Parcha in Venezuela, etc. I found that the passion fruit was introduced into Hawaii in 1880 and it quickly became popular in home gardens. It naturalized in Hawaii's practically perfect climate and, by 1930, could be found wild on all the islands of the Hawaiian chain. In 1951, the University of Hawaii chose passion fruit as the most promising crop for agricultural development and undertook a program to create an industry for production of quick-frozen passion fruit juice concentrate. In 1958, the passion fruit took over Hawaii's gardens.

Habitat:

The purple form of the passion fruit grows in subtropical regions, while the yellow passion fruit thrives in tropical regions. The passion fruit requires a lot of sunlight for success in growing flowers, fruits, and lengthening the vine. The vine tends to grow a little out of control at times. Latching onto anything that the plant can grab onto. In home gardens, like in the photos above, you would put rope for the vines to wrap around to grab onto everything.

Notes:

Since lilikoi has such a unique aroma and flavor. The lilikoi can be used for anything food related. The nutrients in the passion fruit can provide fiber, protein, carotenoids, iron, and antioxidants. The lilikoi can be edible in MANY different ways. From lilikoi butter, jelly, juices, etc.