Identifying Kōhia (Passiflora tetrandra)

Take great care when identifying wild plants and fungi, this blog is not a resource to be taken by itself and further resources will be linked. Consult other sources and double check. While foraging is an extremely rewarding and useful skill, numerous common plants and fungi can make you sick or kill you. Be absolutely sure of what you’re eating and, when gathering, ensure you leave enough not only to ensure the survival and growth of the species but also enough for others to enjoy, from the human and more-than-human communities. Also cultivate an awareness of contamination and pollution – wastewater runoff, spraying, exhaust fumes – as this should affect your decision to harvest.

The Plant

Passiflora tetrandra is a perennial climbing vine from the Passifloraceae family. They are endemic to Aotearoa, New Zealand and are mainly found in the Wellington region, most of the North Island, and in the Banks Peninsula of the South Island. The name Passiflora means “passionflower” while tetrandra means “four stamens” referring to the amount of stamens the flowers have. New Zealand passionfruit/passionflower is the most common name for this plant though Māori call them kōhia which comes from the word “kōhi” meaning “to gather”, possibly to gather the fruit!

Description

Kōhia is a perennial evergreen vine which generally sprawls and grows across and within other natives. The bare stem begins by creeping along the ground before climbing up to 10 metres high into the tree tops where they become quite hard to distinguish amidst the other foliage. A mature vine will have a sprawling trunk on the ground that is very thick and twisted. The actual vines are brown or a light green depending on their age. The leaves are alternate, lanceolate, and a glossy, smooth, dark green. They climb using touch-sensitive tendrils at the base of each leaf. The produce intricate cream flowers with green petals and “corona” that look like lots of fine cream coloured threads, with four stamens in the centre. Kōhia is dioecious and requires a male and female plant for cross pollination in order to produce fruit. The small, orange, lemon shaped fruits hang from the vine and feel quite light and hollow, with a white rind on the inside. When opened you will find large seeds covered in red flesh.

Ecology

I have found kōhia growing all over the Wellington region, especially in native bush reserves. They prefer growing in lowland forests and along forest margins but aren’t too fussy about moisture, soil types, or sun position. In the spring you can often spot the cream flowers on the ground and in the summer and autumn you will often find the fruit husks scattered on the forest floor. The fruits are a favourite of native birds such as tūī and silvereye and are also enjoyed by possums and rats.

Nutritional & Medicinal Information

Māori would eat the flesh of kōhia but largely used the seeds. They would crush, steam, and press the seeds to extract a fragrant body oil which they would use to heal skin ailments. The oil was traditionally used to treat chapped nipples, sore and swollen breasts, and chronic wounds.

Possible Lookalikes

Banana passionfruit (Passiflora tripartita) produces similar passionfruit fruit but looks considerably different from kōhia. Banana passionfruit has downy three-lobed leaves, large drooping pink flowers, and longer soft yellow fruits filled with black seeds and yellow flesh. Banana passionfruit is also edible.

Interesting Facts

Māori would use the red flesh as a cosmetic to paint their faces with a delicate red hue.

Traditionally the kōhia vines were dried and then used as a slow burning torch when lit to travel in the dark.

Storage & Cooking

You can consume the fruits as you are wandering through the forests here in Aotearoa, though the flesh is some what bland and can be a little dry. Māori would use the fruit as a flavouring for jellies made using seaweed. You could probably use it in desserts, especially as a decoration!

Peter Langlands, author of Foraging New Zealand, suggests drying the peppery cress-tasting seeds and grinding them up to use as a dukkah on top of breads and dips.

Enjoy my fellow foragers!

Further Reading

New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

Te Motu Kairangi

University of Auckland

iNaturalist

Oratia Native Plant Nursery

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu