Passion Flowers

"Whatever your level of interest or curiosity, Vanderplank has provided the information for further exploration. Separate chapters explain the classification and structure of passion flowers, the legend and etymology, cultivation, propagation, hybridization, pests and diseases, and the unique interactions of butterflies and passion flowers. The bulk of the book provides detailed information on 100 taxa, including specific botanical descriptions, along with a narrative covering their discovery, distribution, and the author's experience with these species or hybrids. Appending the text is a useful identification key in chart form, lists of addresses and suppliers, a glossary, and a brief bibliography. . . . John Vanderplank's Passion Flowers is the most comprehensive work on the subject in more than fifty years." -- Steven Foster, American Horticulturist (review of the first edition)

"Lost flower of the Andes is blooming in Britain." This headline in the Daily Telegraph celebrated the last remaining example of Passiflora lourdesae, a herbaceous climber from a rapidly developing region of Venezuela that was raised from a cutting by John Vanderplank -- the only successful attempt from a dozen cuttings sent to botanists around the world. The story of this dramatic recovery from extinction is one of the delights of this new edition of Passion Flowers. This edition adds 53 new species, bringing the total number of species documented to over 150, and includes 41 new color photographs. The book now illustrates nearly a quarter of all known species. In addition there are 50 new line drawings -- all showcased in a new, larger format.