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Morning Glory vine

If you need to cover a trellis or fence in a short amount of time consider planting an annual vine. Annual flowering vines tend to grow vigorously and continue to bloom until frost kills them. They provide a vertical interest to a garden, add privacy and shade, block the wind, and camouflage any unsightly view.

Morning glory vine (Ipomoea tricolor) is a fast growing tender vine that can easily climb a trellis or fence by twining itself around the support. The funnel-like flowers open in the morning, hence the name morning glory.
The vine can be started from seeds indoors in peat pots 4-5 wks before the last frost date or sown directly into the ground after the soil warms up. Before planting, scrape the black seed coat with sandpaper and soak in water overnight to allow better germination.
Plant in any type of soil but it grows better in poor, infertile soil and blooms best in full sun to light shade.

Once established Morning glory can self-seed and spread becoming a weedy plant, smothering plants and difficult to control in the flowerbed. To avoid this problem be sure to remove the seed pods. Grow it in a container or adjacent to a sidewalk were it can be managed. The large flowered cultivars tend to reseed less.
Blue morning glory
Common Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) has large flowers in shades of red, white and blue. “Heavenly Blue” cultivar of (Ipomoea tricolor) is a popular blue color.
A compact series with variegated foliage ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Mini Bar Rose’ can be grown in baskets and containers.
Another vine worth mentioning is Moon Vine (Ipomoea alba) which produces heart-shaped-leaves and large fragrant white flowers. Because the flowers open from dusk to dawn, this vine can be enjoyed in the evening garden, by the light of the silvery moon.

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38 comments to Morning Glory vine

  • Pam Loveland

    I want to save seeds from summer flowers such as Morning Glories, Hollyhocks, etc. How and when do you do this? Thank you, Pam & Donna

    Saving seeds is a matter of observing and right timing. When the plant matures, blooms and then starts to produce seeds you need to watch when seed capsules ripen or turn brown. At this point, they may split open when dry and spill their seeds, unless you cut or break off the capsules and spread them on a tray or paper to dry. The seeds should fall out of their “container”, some may need to be coaxed out with your fingers. Remove and discard any debris. Annuals such as morning glories can be stored in labeled envelopes or small jars in a cool, dry, dark place. The black seeds are in globe-like capsules. Let the capsules dry and they should open on their own or gently squeeze to remove the seeds. Perennials like hollyhocks will naturally sow their fresh seeds immediately but can also be stored as mentioned for next spring planting. You can start saving hollyhock seeds 2-3 wks after blooming. It has donut shaped pods that mature from the bottom of the plant upwards. Pick brown pods and allow them to dry until they unfold. Some flowers take more work to winnow out the seeds but always make sure that all seeds are completely dry before storing.

  • anne shaw

    i recently moved into a new house and there are morning glory vines everywhere, what is the best way to get this plant back under control.

    Hi Anne

    Invasive Morning glories is the negative result of growing them where they can spread. They reseed easily so at this point you will have to be vigilant and pull the seedlings when they come up before they get a chance to grow and spread. There is no easy way. It may take a few years to erradicate the plant completely. Be sure to pick off all the seed pods to keep it from reseeding.

    • Kate

      There are wild “morning glories” that grow like weeds everywhere in the Northwest, with a white flower. If you have these, I have been told they are not true morning glories. They spread runners everywhere and can grow back from a tiny piece left in the ground. They don’t grow from seed. Rip them up constantly and hope for the best.

      If your rampant morning glory is the beautiful colored ones- like Heavenly Blue, lucky you! They are nearly impossible to grow where I live (Bellingham, Washington), so I plant them in pots and let them grow on a string around my south and west facing windows.

  • Janet Gibson

    Hi,

    I planted morning glories from seeds about two months ago. The leaves look quite healthy & are starting to put out runners. Within the last two days a noticed quite a few holes in the leaves. Looks like something is eating the leaves, but I didn’t spot any worms or anything anywhere around them. Any suggestions as to what to dust them with or spray on the foliage?

    Hi Janet
    Unless your leaves are being severely chewed up, I would not recommend any type of spraying. Morning glories grow so fast that they will most likely outgrow any damage. Spraying it with chemicals may do more harm to other beneficial insects. Before you can spray any insecticides, you need to know what kind of insect you want to kill.

  • Lisa

    I have two gorgeous morning glory plants…every time they look full and fantastic my husband insists on chopping them back with hedge trimmers flat against the wall…I am spitting mad right now because they look dead. Is this truly how they should be done?????

    Usually, morning glory are not trimmed. If they haven’t been cut back too much it will get a thicker, fuller and bushier; but at the moment , you’ll have to look at a scrawny vine. I would opt for no trimming.

  • Jim Bethune

    In East Texas, the Tyler area, are morning glories strictly annuals or will they survive the winter? if so will I need to replant every year or will they reseed themselves? The ones I planted this year are already six to seven feet tall but show no sign of blooming. How long do they usually take to bloom?

    HI Jim
    Morning glories may be semi-hardy in your area. They will die back after several frosts but come back from the roots as well as reseed themselves. You may get more than you expected. Rich soil or fertilizing the plant will produce more leaves than flowers. For best bloom they need full sun and soil that is not too moist. In fact once established they tolerate dry soil. When they get started, they will bloom all season long.

  • Dolores

    I have lots of blooms, but there are yellow leaves to be picked off every day. These plants were established when I got here, I recently used a fertilizer stick and water daily in this hot area.

    It’s not unusual to get some yellowing leaves. They can be either older leaves, or leaves that are not getting enough sun. Barring insect problems, too much water or too dry conditions can also cause yellow leaves.

  • Naomi Sallinger

    I have a plant 20 ft high but no blooms. Planted in large container, what can I do, I have to water every other day so too much fertilizer should not be a problem. Any suggestions.

    Hi Naomi
    Eventhough you are not feritilizing the soil may be too rich for your morning glory. It prefers poor soil and dry conditions. Be tough and water less, see if that will coax it to bloom.

  • evelyn

    My morning glories have some yellow
    leaves. I have been removing the leaves
    everyday. This didnt happen last year.
    HELP!!!!!!

    Have you had a lot of rain???

  • evelyn

    YES WE HAVE HAD RAIN DAYS AND
    SOME EVENINGS

    Most likely it is the wet conditions (too much water) that we are experiencing. Morning glories like poor, drier soil.

  • Naomi Sallinger

    Thanks for the help. This plant is in a large container, if not watered it wilts and looks like it will die. I guess I have a choice, no blooms or lots of leaves. I put a lot of my plants in containers as we here on the Outer Banks of NC have hurrincanes in our history. I have lost entire planting and started over, just something you have to accept if you want to live here.

    Hi Naomi
    I guess it comes with the territory. Water your morning glory so it doesn’t wilt and mulch the soil to keep it evenly moist. They do like moist soil but are drought tolerant. Sometimes they just take time to bloom or may need more sun to bloom. You have a longer growing season so there’s still hope for it to flower. Part of growing plants is finding the right balance as to what they need.

  • Kimberly Lloyd

    My Morning Glory vine was thriving this summer but has suddenly begun to fail. Its leaves are wilting, turning yellow and falling off and its new blossoms are falling off before they open. I am also trying to find out what type of Morning Glory it is. It has deep pink blossoms but its leaves are not the heart shape that I am used to seeing. They are istead an elongated oval shape and quite thick. Any information or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

    It sounds like a root problem-perhaps too much water or not enough.

  • muhammad khabbab

    hello,i really like ur site. i have a problem with my MG vine. my zone is 9-11. summer goes to 40c here. i have planted my MG in a 16” container. It gets 5 hours after noon direct sunlight. ALthough it has reached 10 feet climbed, but all the trunk portion of vining is droping the leaves. they get yellow and brown and wilt. Upper leaves are fine. Lower 1 feet portion is naked now. There are also yellow spots in the bottom leaves. here is the pic. http://khabbab.pictiger.com/images/16139552/
    . i sprayed mild general pesticide only on bottom leaves. still problem unresolved. kindly help.
    PS: when will it bloom?. i keep it normally dry and no fert.
    Khabbab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Hi
    It is normal for morning glories to drop some of their older lower leaves. If the plants are too dry or too wet, the stress will also cause lower leaf drop. Since your morning glory is grown in a container many nutrients can be washed out of the soil with watering. One suggestion is to feed the plant with a low nitrogen fertilizer (higher middle #)when yellow leaves are first detected. The spots may be caused by a bacteria & fungal disease-not insects. If it progresses remove infected leaves so it doesn’t spread up the vine. Your plant should bloom once it is mature.

  • Manny ramirez

    My Morning Glories have a lot yellow bugs and a few black ones. they are killing the plant. the yellow ones seem to be veryvery close together and in rows. What Fertilizer or remedie should i use? i have other flowers close to them but they are not there yet.

    HI Manny
    You need to identify the bug before you can elliminate it. From your description, I really can’t determine what kind of insect it is. Are the yellow “bugs” soft and clustered on the leaf, mostly on the top of the plant or in new growth( could be aphids) or are they a beetle type of insect? If you have an local extension office nearby bring a sample in and they may be able to help you.

  • lori weiss

    i am in southeast ct. when should my morning glory and moon flower start too bloom and for how long? some in ground some in pots climbing up and around deck?

    Hi Lori
    Morning glory and Moon flower should start to bloom around mid-August until frost.

  • Lisa

    How do I keep my morning glory from growing into a light on a lightpost? I’ve been redirecting but should I cut it? Also what to do at end of season/frost do I cut back or leave as is?

    HI Lisa
    Plants will always grow toward a light source. If redirecting doesn’t work then cut off the growing tip, it will send out side shoots. If you live in a cold climate the frost will take care of your vine. Once its brown remove the vine, it may reseed next spring.

  • Megan

    I planted several morning glory seeds that I found in my shed from last year (not thinking they would grow). Since then the vine has grown so much that it is starting to take over the eaves of my patio. It has grown off the trellis and is still climbing. Can I cut back the morning glory?

    Hi Megan
    They can get out of control. When you pinch it back , it will send out lateral branches which may delay bloom. If you don’t care about loosing some flowers trim it to control it. Next year when the plant reseeds itself, you may have to thin out the seedlings.

  • Dolores Weeks

    How to plant Morning Glory cuttings

    Hi Dolores
    Eventhough it is not the best or easiest way – morning glory cuttings can be rooted. Take a 4 inch cutting with at least 2 sets of leaves, remove lower leaves, dip the end in rooting hormone and insert the cutting in a peat container filled with a light soil mix(peat/perlite). Keep it moist and away from direct sun. A peat container will work best because they don’t like their roots disturbed. Layering the vine or starting from seed is faster and has a higher success rate.

  • Connor

    How would I grow morning glory indoors?

    Hi Connor
    Unless you have a greenhouse or a very sunny window, morning glory would be difficult to grow indoors. They require a lot of sun in order to grow and bloom. It will grow indoors but you will most likely get a lanky weak vine.
    To start morning glory from seeds. Nick the hard seeds with a nail file and soak them in water overnight. Plant 2-3 seeds in seed starter mix in a pot or peat pot. Keep the soil warm at 70-85F and moist for best germination. I recommend a peat pot so that when you transplant it to a larger pot the roots will not be disturbed. Morning glories do not like to be transplanted or have their roots disturbed. Seeds should sprout in 2-3 weeks. Remove all but one plant from the pot and place in a sunny window. Be sure to provide a trellis or support for it to climb on.

  • Tayler Kurtzman

    i live in a dorm and i wanted to plant morning glories inside. would they be able to survive as long as i took care of them and gave them plenty of sun light. and also if they would survive would they eventually die or keep on living since they are in a controlled enviorment? thank you

    Hi Tayler
    Morning glory would be a difficult plant to grow indoors. Unless you have a greenhouse, it would be difficult to provide the plant with all the reqirements it needs to thrive indoors. That doesn’t mean you won’t get Morning glory to grow in your dorm, it just mean that it will not be a healthy, vigorous plant and may not bloom.

    • Vine Lady

      My first morning glory was grown inside, when I rented a small single room in a big house full of twenty-somethings. I grew it in a small pot by a sunny window- it climbed up and around the rods of the window and bloomed wonderfully. It was so beautiful, framing the window with twisting vines and sky-blue flowers (Clarke’s Heavenly Blue). Very little work, super-easy (and I knew nothing about horticulture) and helped make a small space lovely.

  • Tony

    Our morning glory recently received the first frost and is now all wilted. Should I cut it back for the winter or leave it alone? I live in the Illinois. Thanks

    Hi Tony
    Morning glory is grown as an annual in Illinois but can reseed itself. You can pull it out or it will die back on its own.

  • Hello, I planted a MG plant last summer and it went wild on our back fence to our delight and the neighbors also. But, all of a sudden the leaves took on a mottled appearance, got brown spots that turned into holes and then leaves and blooms died and fell off. Happened quite quickly. I have pictures of the leaves here on my blog http://appelquilling.blogspot.com/search/label/Gardening and when you click on it to enlarge the photo you can see the leaves starting to mottle, some are yellow w/holes.
    And here you can see the leaves when it was bad at this link: http://i442.photobucket.com/albums/qq141/sea7777/quillingmg031.jpg

    Now there are seedlings comming back and they have this look to them!!! Could you please tell my what it is and how to fix it? I really loved them and would like to have them healthy again.
    Thank you
    Sonya

    Hi Sonya
    The morning glory looks like it has a number of problems but the most prevalent is some type of leaf spot caused by a fungus which winterover on plant debris. The mottlling leaves look like a spider mite problem. See spider mites to see if you have them on the vine. The only advice I can give you is sanitation. Remove all infected leaves and burn them. In fact you may want to remove all of the vine and start over. Once you have the fungus around it will be hard to elliminate. You may be able control it with preventative fungal sprays.

  • Nicole

    I planted a morning glory before knowing anything about them. The plant was mature and was thriving for a while. It was climbing a trellis and my fence and even a tree but now it’s dead. The leaves fell off and all that’s left is dead vines. Will it grow back? Should i pull it out and start over? I live in Northern California-Bay Area.

    Hi Nicole
    Morning glory is grown as an annual. Once it matures then its done for the season. I would pull it out and start over for the season. Removing old vines will elliminate any type of diseases that may have wintered over on the vine. Morning glory vines should reseed itself and then you’ll have more than you bargained for.

  • jeff

    Will morning glories and moonflowers survive year round in a greenhouse with a natural spring and high humidity at 75 degrees?

    Hii Jeff
    Yes, your morning glories should survive in a greenhouse setting. Blooming may diminish in winter when there is less daylight and sun.

  • Jeff

    The problem!.The conditions seem perfect for MG’s to grow here, in fact the seeds germinate in 2 days with no nicking or soaking! I use peat pellets and the little plastic green-houses in the green house itself, so theres no temprature change upon transplanting. Trouble is, when I transplant them into the beds, they only grow as far as the 1st set of true leaves, Grow about 4 or 5 inches, then keel over! :( Upon removing the dead plant it has a good root system going!

  • April

    What do I do with the dead flowers? Do I “dead head” them? I have some morning glories in a nice window box, but I don’t know how to care and maintain them. Please, help.
    Thank you,
    April

    Hi April
    You can remove them, if you find them unsigthly. Usually the flower will dry up and fall off.

  • Katherine

    I unknowingly fertilized my Morning Glories. Is there anything I can do to fix this mistake?

    The fertilizer will eventually wash its way out of the soil by watering. Not much else you can do.

  • Renee'

    I just planted some morning glory plants I got from a local nursery. The weather has been stranger than usual here with quite a bit of rain and then getting really hot. I planted the plants in really bad soil, and watered after planting. My plants look really wilty. Should I water the plants more often due to the heat, or wait and see if letting them dry out works better. How much water do they usually require? Thanks for your help.

    Hi Renee
    What type of soil did you plant the morning glory in? Is it well drained? Morning Glories don’t transplant well and will sulk for a while. They should get 1″ of water per week in watering or rain but may need more in hot weather. If the soil is wet and the plant is wilted-do not water, wait for the soil to dry out.

  • Hello, I live in central Washington, and I have planted morning glories (heavnenly blue, and flying saucers) for the past 3 years in late april after the threat of frost has past and have had beautiful thriving plants with many blooms. By this time the plants are usually beginning to thrive and make there way up the trellis and fenced deck. This year has been very different, as they are still very small and only one has begum to shoot its vine up the trellis, and its smaller than normal. The rest appear to be getting eaten, possibly by little tiny ants that I have seen around this area, but rarely do I see any insects eating them. Im guessing that the holes in the leaves are depleting the plants of energy from the sun, and thats wahts stunting their growth. The other problem is, I planted much more than what has come up, there are bare areas, where I planted 5-6 seeds and none have grown. The soil is poor, and I thought they liked this, since they have done so well in the past. SHould I fertilize? And how can i protect the plants with insect holes in them from further damage? I dont want to kill the poor things from the wrong type of insecticide, and am sort of weray of the idea of using an insecticide in the first place, i will if i have to. I’m almost positive the enemy are these little ants. I would really value any tips, i love these plants, and need to save them before its too late. some have been chewed to destruction before any vines shot out.

  • muhammad khabbab

    hi, my zone is 10b. can i grow Convolvulus tricolor as perennial in my zone? If yes, what is ideal sowing time?. Summer reaches over 100F here while winter is mild not below 5c. We also get moonsoon rains in july/august. Note that we grow ipomoea purpuea (morning glory) as perennial here.

    Hi
    Sow Convolvulus tricolor the same time you would morning glory. I would say in late winter/early spring.

  • ana costa

    hi, what exactly do you mean when you say “pull out in winter”? Do i literally pull out the plant with roots and all? i dont understand how it will reseed at this point. Unfortunately, I had no idea what MG was and planted it with a Jasmine plant as it was so small and has overcome the climbing jasmine and all the climber. I thought all i had to do was cut all the leaves which i think is alot just doing that without harming the jasmine. I have to say the deep purple with jasmine is beautiful. i hope i havent harmed the jasmine.
    please tell me the jasmine will survive.

    Hi Ana
    Not sure where the reference is for “pull out in winter”most likely it is to get rid of the dead vine (roots and all).
    Morning glory will reseed itself during the growing season. As it blooms, it will make seeds which will ripen and eventually drop to the soil waiting for the next opportunity to grow. Morning glory is an aggressive vine and will take over the container and your jasmine. You need to remove the vine if you want to save your jasmine. If you can see the main stem of the MG, cut it at the base and it will kill the whole vine. Be on the lookout for new seedlings and remove them as well.

  • Lane

    I planted several Heavenly Blue morning glories from seed in pretty poor soil about 7 weeks ago. They are interspersed with sunflowers in a full sun area in a 6 x 9 rectangular shape (trying to grow a “sunflower house” for the kids and the morning glories are supposed to wrap around the sunflower stalks.)

    However, the MGs are only about 2 inches high and don’t seem to have grown much at all in the last few weeks. The sunflowers are now about 14 inches high, which may impeded with the light the morning glories get, since they haven’t taken off yet. I am watering more than usual because of unseasonal hot weather. They are in an area with some tree roots (which I tried to pull up when planting the seeds.) What could be causing this stunting? Should I water more/less? They are mulched with grass that had been treated with weed/feed a few weeks before cutting. Could that be the problem? I’m located in Alaska.

    Hi Lane
    It’s possible that the grass treated with weed/feed can have an effect on stunting the morning glory. Competition for light can also have affect the growth rate. Keep the plants moist but not too wet. They tolerate dry soil better than wet soil.

  • Larry Hill

    MG and clematis
    I am concerned that my morning glories may choke out my clematis. Am I well advised not to not plant them too close together next year? Is there a danger that the morning glories (an annual) might utterly destroy my perennial clematis?

    Hi Larry
    The aggresive nature of morning glories can overtake clematis by competing for light and nutrients. Your clematis should survive but don’t plant morning glories next to them next year.

  • Lucinda

    My morning glories have beautiful, healthy vines, but the blooms never open! I am in Illinois. What could be the problem?

    Hi Lucinda
    Is it possible that you don’t see your vine in the morning. Morning glories bloom in the morning and then close up by evening.

  • Brad

    My Morning Glories bloom nicely for the day and usaully do not reopen the next day, is this commom or is something wrong?

    Hi Brad
    Morning glories like tropical hibiscus bloom only once and then they are done. There is nothing wrong with your plant.

  • James Agne

    I have morning glory flowers here in NW Oklahoma. Once they vines die out in the winter, should I remove them or will they come back in the spring?

    Hi James
    You can remove the vines. Morning glory may reseed itself in spring and start a new vine.

  • Carrie Tompkins

    Why do my Morning Glories only bloom for one day? If you touch the flower it will fall off by evening.

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