Propagating Maypop Cuttings
Today we’re talking about propagating cuttings of maypop vines! The full name of a maypop vine is Passiflora incarnata, and it’s also called purple passionflower. Maypop is a hardy native to the U.S., and it’s known for its striking, unique flowers and edible fruit.
Maypops are aggressive growers, spreading through prolific underground root systems. So usually you’ll just be able to dig up babies from an existing plant. But it isn’t always practical to go digging up someone’s yard. So let’s talk about how to take cuttings from a maypop vine and propagate them!
Step 1: Take a cutting
The first step to a good propagation is always to take a good cutting. I recommend taking a cutting that has at least 3 to 4 leaves. In the photos below, you can see the cutting that I took. It originally had 4 leaves, but I removed the bottom-most 2 leaves to expose the growth points.
You’ll also want to take a cutting from the softer stem growth. As this plant matures, the vines will become thicker and woodier. I recommend avoiding those areas and taking a cutting that has a stem like the one pictures below.
Step 2: Pot in fresh soil
Next I dipped the cutting in rooting hormone. I was rooting some other harder-to-root plants, so I had it on hand. This isn’t a necessity, so don’t worry if you don’t have it. It can just help jump-start the rooting process from those growth points.
Pot the cutting in fresh well-draining soil. If the leaves on your cutting are very large, you can also snip them in half to help the plant direct its energy to root formation. As you can see below, my leaves were pretty small 🙂
Step 3: Keep evenly moist
Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist but not soaking wet, which can lead to rot. I also kept mine outside in an area that gets plenty of sunlight since it’s summer and the temperatures are great.
I potted up a couple of cuttings when I filmed a YouTube video about this propagation process, and here’s a look at some new growth beginning to emerge on a cutting I’m propagating! This is a sign that your propagation is a success. If the original leaves are wilted, you can snip them off and call this project a success.
