The middle section of my passion flower has died back. What to do?

[bozza]

Hope someone can help here. I have tried googling to no avail. I have a passion flower (the common variety) which is about 4 years old and was growing really well over a pergola we have attached to the house - we were getting a really good covering over the top. Now although the part of the stems that were growing up the post are still OK and the last 3 foot or so are still OK with lots of green leavers the middle 6-8 feet or so is looking dead. Do I need to cut it back or should I be patient? Just I thought that the sooner I cut it back, the sooner it would rejuventate so I really ought to be making a decision.

Thanks.

Oh God, not at all what i thought this thread was going to be about!
Thought it was about your front bum, thought that "passion flower" was another name for it!
sorry, dont know any thing about passion FLOWERS.

Did you google passiflora? Mine dies back a lot over the winter.

donbean. I did put it in gardening club as bit of a clue...

st leger will have a go with the latin name. Do you cut yours back where it has died back? I was just surprised because a) this is the worst die back ever despite a mild winter and very few frosts, and b) the last few feet look OK.

I ignore mine most of the time! Until it reaches out and grabs other plants, and I take the orange fruit things off to encourage more flowers. (Dunno if I made that up!) So I don't prune it really - it has a middle bit, 2 straggly bits, then thickens up again about 5 feet from the main part. (Sounds in need of me googling it). Frost very rare here, so most winters mild. I now have a robin nesting in my honeysuckle though!

Humm, I tend to cut mine back quite a bit - lots dies off every year - they always come back very well...

I shall tend to mine tomorrow! My honeysuckle will go luxuriant though.

Right I have made an official decision. I am going to cut it back. Thanks all, for advice. StL I assume you are further south - we are in Yorkshire so normally get quite a few frosts but this winter has been exceptionally frost free.