On ripening, the fruits contain a soft black wet pulp that is messy and inedible, so are normally left to dry on the plant before harvest.

It is native to much of tropical South America (Suriname, Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northwestern Brazil), as well as some of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean.

[2] In the Amazon Rainforest in Peru, it has been cultivated by indigenous people for centuries, and will grow in warm climates up to altitudes of 1,700 m (5,500 ft) as long as there is continued availability of water and good drainage.

When raw, P. volubilis seeds and leaves contain appreciable amounts of alkaloids, saponins, and lectins which may be toxic if consumed before cooking, but are degraded by roasting.

[6] Rich in alpha-linolenic acid,[5] the oil was evaluated in a 4 month ingestion study (10-15 millilitres per day) by adults, showing it was safe and tended to increase blood levels of HDL cholesterol.