Morning glory (Ipomoea spp.) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux. As the name suggests, most morning glory flowers unfurl into full bloom in the early morning. The flowers usually start to fade a few hours before the corolla begins to display visible curling. They prefer full solar exposure throughout the day, and mesic soils. Some morning glories, such as Ipomoea muricata, Ipomoea alba, and Ipomoea macrorhiza, are night-blooming flowers.
The morning glory grows as a perennial in the warmest areas of the U.S., and as an annual elsewhere. Started in the spring, the plants develop into long vines that produce multitudes of trumpet-shaped flowers. The plants either trail on the ground or attach themselves to upright surfaces with their tendrils.
A morning glory plant emerges from the soil as a pair of leaves called a cotyledon. Not true leaves, they are the seed’s embryo and continue to process nutrients that will eventually move through the plant, producing the first true leaves. The cotyledons of most morning glory species are notched, either in a rounded or a sharp indentation. The plant’s narrow, fibrous stem continues to grow from between the cotyledons, and bright medium to dark green heart-shaped coarse or smooth leaves develop along its length. Tendrils, or delicate stringy growths, also appear along the stem, wrapping themselves around whatever support is nearby, be it a branch, a fence, a trellis or an arbor.
Flower buds appear some time in late spring and bloom most vigorously in the morning’s first light then fade toward afternoon. The flowers are shaped like trumpets and come in many colors, including white, purple, blue and pink. Some morning glory flowers have contrasting tints appearing in their throats, as streaks, or as borders along the edges of the petals.
Morning glory vines that don’t manage to attach themselves to any type of support simply grow along the ground, and may choke other plants. The vines can grow to 15 feet, whether they are supported or not. If the morning glory has support, both the vines and the tendrils grow clockwise around vertical objects.
Resistant to deer, morning glory plants self-seed easily and while they can become a nuisance, they are not considered invasive. Morning glories grow aggressively during warm weather, blooming from early summer to the first frost. The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Morning glories are perennial in U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 11, where they produce flowers year-round and continue to propagate new plants by self-seeding.
Types of Morning Glory
Common Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
- Origin: Tropical America
- Characteristics: Most common type, trumpet-shaped flowers in purple, pink, blue, and white.
Heavenly Blue (Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’)
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea tricolor
- Characteristics: Showy blue flowers with a white center, a classic choice.
Scarlet Morning Glory (Ipomoea hederifolia)
- Origin: North America
- Characteristics: Vibrant scarlet red flowers with a darker center.
Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)
- Origin: Tropical America
- Characteristics: Delicate, lacy foliage with small, star-shaped flowers in red, pink, or white.
Moonflower (Ipomoea alba)
- Origin: Tropical America
- Characteristics: Large, fragrant white flowers that open at night and close in the morning.
Flying Saucers (Ipomoea tricolor ‘Flying Saucers’)
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea tricolor
- Characteristics: Unique, saucer-shaped flowers with a dark center and lighter edges.
Japanese Morning Glory (Ipomoea nil)
- Origin: Asia
- Characteristics: Offers a wide range of colors and flower shapes, including ruffled and fringed varieties.
Star Ipomoea (Ipomoea acuminata)
- Origin: Tropical America
- Characteristics: Star-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, and white.
Beach Morning Glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)
- Origin: Tropical coastlines worldwide
- Characteristics: Vigorous vine with heart-shaped leaves and pink or purple flowers.
Cardinal Climber (Ipomoea quamoclit ‘Cardinal Climber’)
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea quamoclit
- Characteristics: Vibrant red, star-shaped flowers with a touch of white at the base.
Mina Lobata (Ipomoea lobata)
- Origin: Mexico
- Characteristics: Unique flowers that change color as they mature, from red to orange to yellow.
Silverbush Morning Glory (Argyreia nervosa)
- Origin: India
- Characteristics: A fast-growing vine with large, silvery-green leaves and funnel-shaped flowers.
Ipomoea cairica
- Origin: Africa and Asia
- Characteristics: Vigorous vine with star-shaped flowers in shades of purple, pink, and white.
Ipomoea indica
- Origin: Tropical Asia
- Characteristics: A perennial vine with vibrant blue, purple, or pink flowers.
Ipomoea pandurata
- Origin: North America
- Characteristics: A vigorous vine with heart-shaped leaves and white or pale pink flowers.
Ipomoea hederacea
- Origin: Tropical America
- Characteristics: Also known as Ivy-leaved Morning Glory, with heart-shaped leaves and blue or purple flowers.
Ipomoea lacunosa
- Origin: Tropical America
- Characteristics: A common weed with small, white flowers.
Ipomoea purpurea ‘Grandpa Ott’
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea purpurea
- Characteristics: Features unique, star-shaped flowers with ruffled edges.
Ipomoea purpurea ‘Crimson Rambler’
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea purpurea
- Characteristics: Produces vibrant crimson-red flowers.
Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue Improved’
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea tricolor
- Characteristics: An improved variety of Heavenly Blue with larger, more vibrant flowers.
Ipomoea tricolor ‘Pearls and Petticoats’
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea tricolor
- Characteristics: Features unique, ruffled flowers with a mix of colors.
Ipomoea batatas
- Origin: Tropical America
- Characteristics: While primarily grown for its edible tubers (sweet potatoes), it can also produce attractive flowers.
Ipomoea quamoclit ‘Cyanotis’
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea quamoclit
- Characteristics: Features delicate, lacy foliage and small, star-shaped blue flowers.
Ipomoea lobata ‘Starfire’
- Origin: Cultivar of Ipomoea lobata
- Characteristics: A more compact variety with vibrant, color-changing flowers.
The seeds of two morning glory varieties, (Ipomoea tricolor “Heavenly Blue” and “Pearly Gates”) are listed by North Carolina State University as toxic. While they may cause nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, numbness and muscle tightness, the severity is usually low. A closely related relative of the morning glory produces the same type of plant whose white flowers open in the evening. Called the moonflower (Ipomoea alba), which grows as a perennial in USDA zones 9 through 11, it is sometimes grown with morning glories so flowering can be enjoyed throughout the day and into late afternoon.