Giant Granadilla

The Giant Granadilla, Giant Tumbo or Badea , Passiflora quadrangularis, is the largest of the passionfruits, plants of the genus Passiflora. It is a perennial native of tropical The Americas, having smooth, cordate, ovate or acuminate leaves; petiolesbearing from 4 to 6 glands; an emetic and narcotic root; scented flowers; and a large, oblong fruit, containing numerous seeds, imbedded in a subacid edible pulp.

The badea is sometimes grown in greenhouses. The fruits of several other species of Passiflora are eaten. P. laurifoliais the water lemon and P. maliformis the sweet calabash of the West Indies.

The fruit juice of the badea is used as a beverage.

It is known as Barbadine in Trinidad. A tea is made from the leaves which is used for high blood pressure and diabetes. A drink and ice-cream are made from the fruit.

Health Benefits of Giant Granadilla

• The Giant granadilla fruit is valued in the tropics as an ant scorbutic and stomachic.
• In Brazil, the flesh is set as a tranquilizer to relieve the nervous headache, asthma, diarrhea, dysentery, neurasthenia and insomnia to cure.
• The seeds are contain a cardio tonic principle, are sedative, and, in large dose, tranquilizer.
• The leaf decoction is a vermifuge and it is used for bathing skin suffering.
• Leaf poultices are applied in liver complaints.
• The root is working as an emetic, diuretic and vermifuge. Powdered and mixed with oil, it is applied as a calming poultice.