Is Passion Fruit the Same as Lilikoi?

I get asked this question frequently.

THE QUICK AND EASY ANSWER

Lilikoi is the same fruit as passion fruit. Lilikoi is simply the Hawaiian word for passion fruit. This sweet yet tart fruit came from South America where it is called Maracuya. It grows on a vine and thrives in warm humid climates.

VARIETIES OF PASSIONFRUIT

Today there are over 100 varieties of passion fruit that grow all over the world. I’ve seen huge passion fruit that are orange and grow almost as big as your fist. I’ve also seen dark purple passion fruit that are a little larger than a racquet ball. The passion fruit in Hawaii is a variety that does not do well in cold climates that get below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

PASSION FRUIT IN HAWAII

The yellow passion fruit is what we use to make all of our Passion Fruit products at Da Vine Foods. They are a little larger than a tennis ball and they yield a larger and juicier crop than the purple lilikoi, or Passion Fruit.

As with all types of Passion Fruit the strong tart-sweet flavor lends itself to being combined with desserts, drink mixes, sauces, dressings and more. We currently sell Passion Fruit Puree, Lilikoi Cocktail Mix, Lilikoi Coconut Syrup, Lilikoi Chili Pepper Sauce, Passion Fruit Jelly, Passion Fruit Pepper Jelly and Lilikoi Coconut Butter. We have over 100 passion fruit recipes on our web site using our passion fruit products.