P. arbelaezii is the only Passiflora species at La Selva that regularly climbs tree trunks. This seems to be made possible by the growth of tiny branched tendrils, which in turn grow into specialized adhesive pads. The article by Bohn, et.al. 2015 gives a detailed description of the morphology and development of the adhesive pads in the closely related Passiflora discophora.