Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Passion Fruit - Masaflora (Pinoy)

More than 40 years ago, Baguio City had a lot of Passion fruit growing in the wild.  It is a vine fruit that did not need extra or special attention to grow.  It's almost the size and shape of a large egg.  Easy to crack open  by pressing it between the base of the palms.  For those with vivid imaginations, you might find it gross that contents of the fruit are like small eyes resembling those of chicken eyes!  Well, that's the variety we have in our city. 

To us, it has a unique taste especially before it gets fully ripe.  More on the sour side and hardly any sweet taste.  Unless there's already some purple color showing on its skin or shell, it would be quite sour.  Adding salt to the 'raw' passion fruit gives it much flavor.  Personally, I prefer it raw than fully ripe.  It also very flavorful making it into juice!


Now I don't see them anymore around the city.  It is a wonder why something so easy to plant and care for has been neglected.  I have not been in the city market for a very long time now and I don't know if they're still selling the same passion fruit.  I've seen some a long time ago for sale but they were not the variety that I am describing here.


The Passion fruit is not as hardy as the Sunflowers and Pine trees.  It is a wonder because there are no pests that harm them.  Bees visit the flowers but when it starts grow the fruit, not even ants would bother them even when ripe.

17 comments:

Unknown said...

The first time I visited Baguio and that was early 90's. That was the first time I saw and tasted passion fruit or a.k.a Granada in tagalog. And just I remembered they just pick those fruits in their own garden. It's really hard to see in the markets nowadays and if their will be available, it's expensive. Hope people in Baguio maintain those food sources.

Unknown said...

sorry, passion fruit or masaflora is na granada. Granada is pomegranade.

Unknown said...

sorry to inform you that passion fruit or Masaflora is not granada. Granada is pomegrenade.

rbnstr08 said...

Thanks for the info for Ms. Venus Caballes, Mr. Jose Songco.

Diwani said...

passionfruit in local names are 1.) Pasyenarya (yellow or deep red) and the bigger one is 2.) Garanadina (granadilla in spanish) 3.) the wild passionfruit vine found in fields and hills with small sweet tasting fruit (yellow-orange)(covered with hairy structure) is locally called a.) Kurumbut(Bikol and Samar) b.) Tambubul(Dumagat term) c.)Marya marya (to many bisayans) and d.) Pasyenaryang Parang to the old people of Bulakan.

Diwani said...

Passionfruit in local names are 1.) Pasyenarya (yellow or red oblong shaped fruit) 2.) Garanadina(the bigger one with thick skin and can be prepared as vegetable also called Papayang baging) 3.) The wild passionfruit with small yellow orange fruit covered with hairy structure is called "Kurumbut"/ Tambubul/ or Pasyenaryang Parang is common in any part of the Philippine Archipelago. I use to pick and eat this type whenever i saw ripe fruits in the fields.

Diwani said...

The red passionfruit is still available in mountains of Rizal.The red gype is slow maturing and requires fertile soil and cool climate.If you want planting material ,send me PM.- Diwani

Unknown said...

Sir
I visited your site to inquire if the fruit outside our faculty room is passion fruit which grew from a vine. Its color is green and i am wondering if it will turn to color red once it ripened. please advice me
Thanks
aurora francisco

rbnstr08 said...

Thank you for visiting my blog Dean. If you can post a photo of your fruit (with the vine it grew from) outside your faculty room, I might just be able to say if will ripen to what color. I am just familiar with the passion fruit that turns violet when ripe.

castlerock said...

I have passionfruits here in Bukidnon i just wonder if theres a market for this fruits in the philippines. I plant this because of the health benefits i can get its anti cancer and more. Text me 0910-338-7464 0r visit my fb page JOCON Online Store . Thanks

rbnstr08 said...

Hello Castlerock - thank you for visiting my page. I am not sure if there is really a market for passion fruits because they easy to grow. In Baguio City however, I do not see the plants anymore grown in backyards. Only those who have them still have a demand for it. People who do not know about them are likely to look or even ask for them. If you are large grower of passion fruits, you might be able to create a market for them by initially conducting a free taster with a good marketing outfit.

Unknown said...

Is this still available??

Unknown said...

Sir, is ur fruit still available?

Unknown said...

Gudpm , where in Rizal can I buy passion fruit or plants?

Unknown said...

thank you. I learned something new today

Graik said...

Im from la trinidad very near baguio..have the american variety on the walls outside my classroom..so pretty plus it gives extra shade..they never have a chance to ripen since kids get it before it does.

Unknown said...

Gudeve.where po ako pwedeng mag order nang passion fruit or planting material?