Passion fruit & maracuja »What are the differences?

The passion flowers and their fruits

Most of the more than 530 subspecies from the genus of passion flowers (Passiflora) grow with climbing tendrils that lignify to shrubs and trees to varying degrees. Most of the varieties of passion fruit originate from South and North America, however, there are also some species with ancestry from Australia and from remote places such as Madagascar. The plants with their characteristic flowers got their name, which is reminiscent of the Passions of Christ, at the time of Missionary work in South America, as missionaries to recognize symbols for the Passion of Christ in the different parts of the flowers believed. While the fruits of due to their blossoms popular Cultivars Just as those from the Decaloba subgenus can be inedible or poisonous, most passion fruit varieties enjoy great popularity as fresh fruit and fruit juice.

The passion fruit with a purple skin

The fruits, which are mostly sold under the name passion fruit in this country, are usually the fruits of the plant genus of the so-called purple granadilla. This resembles an egg in shape and size, but has a smooth and shiny purple shell. From a botanical point of view, they are berries, but actually only the content of the cut fruit, consisting of seeds and adhering pulp, is eaten. It is often said that a very wrinkled skin is the best for purple colored passion fruits Maturity level would show. But you can also consume a passion fruit with smooth skin without any problems, this will only be something have a more sour taste than wrinkled ones and are therefore more advanced in terms of ripening Fruit.

The passion fruit or granadilla

On many juice bottles, next to the name Maracuja, a cut passion fruit with a purple skin has been shown on the label for decades. Actually, this is not entirely correct, as passion fruit, which is colored yellow to orange, is usually referred to as passion fruit. These also feature in the advanced state of the maturation have a relatively pressure-resistant shell, but otherwise they are not dissimilar in shape and size to the purple-colored representatives of the species. The yellow granadilla is sometimes a bit larger and its taste is often not quite comparable with the purple colored fruits of the Passiflora edulis. This is why these are rarely offered in stores as fresh fruit and are much more often found in the juicer.

The difference in taste between passion fruit and passion fruit

Basically, the difference in taste between the fruits of both subspecies of passion flowers is not very great, even if they are not exactly the same. The principle that the seeds and pulp are eaten together and usually with a spoon is the same for both types. Other possible uses are:

• as a fruit garnish for sundae
• as a fruit for cakes like Pavlova
• as a pureed ingredient for smoothies

Tips & Tricks

In the trade, passion fruit and maracuja are often offered alternately under both names. Both types are basically equally suitable for direct consumption and processing in the kitchen.

WK