Common morning glory

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade but flowers less freely.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then when the top 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) of soil dries. Containers need more frequent watering.

Soil

Well-drained soil of average or modest fertility; avoid waterlogged ground and heavily enriched soil.

Height

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m)

Spread

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m), depending on support and training

Flowers

Summer to autumn frost; purple, pink, blue-purple or white trumpets, often with a pale throat. Individual flowers last only part of a day.

Foliage

Green, usually heart-shaped leaves on slender, hairy, twining stems.

Growth

Fast; can cover a small trellis in one growing season.

Care needed

Medium

• Plant outside only after frost risk has passed and the soil has warmed.
• Install netting, wires or a slender trellis at planting, and guide young stems onto it.
• Water at soil level during dry weather; do not leave pots standing in water.
• Avoid high-nitrogen feeds, which encourage leaves at the expense of flowers.
• Remove developing seed capsules and pull unwanted seedlings promptly.

Pruning. During summer, shorten shoots that stray beyond their support or begin smothering nearby plants. Remove the whole plant after frost or at the end of its season, preferably before mature seed falls.

Early spring

Where summers are short, sow indoors 4-6 weeks before the last expected frost, using individual pots to minimise root disturbance.

Late spring

Harden off seedlings and plant out after frost, or sow directly into warm soil; put supports in place.

Early summer

Guide young stems around their support and water regularly while roots establish.

Summer

Water during dry spells and redirect or trim shoots that climb into neighbouring plants.

Late summer

Remove seed capsules before they turn brown and split if you want to limit self-seeding.

Autumn

Clear spent vines and check the surrounding ground for fallen seed and unwanted seedlings.

• Train over a light trellis beside a sunny seating area for temporary summer screening.
• Grow on an obelisk in a cottage border, keeping its stems away from neighbouring shrubs.
• Use in a large container with a secure climbing frame to add height to a sunny patio.
• Combine with upright zinnias or cosmos, allowing the flowers to mingle visually without letting the vine smother them.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Potager (kitchen garden), Victorian, Modern courtyard and Small-space.

Plant it with: Cosmos, Zinnias, French marigolds, Annual sunflowers and Basil.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and, in the Americas, hummingbirds. Its vigorous growth can smother other vegetation if allowed to escape.

• Plenty of leaves but few flowers: provide more sun, stop high-nitrogen feeding and allow time for flowering; cool summers can delay it.
• Aphids on young shoots: wash off with water and encourage ladybirds and other predators; use insecticidal soap if necessary.
• Spider mites in hot, dry conditions: look for fine stippling and webbing, rinse leaf undersides and prevent severe drought stress.
• Slugs and snails eating seedlings: inspect after dark, remove pests and protect young plants with locally approved controls.

Treat as toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses, particularly the seeds. Seeds contain alkaloids that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and neurological effects, including disorientation or hallucinations; substantial ingestion can be serious. Keep seeds away from children and animals, and contact a poison service or veterinarian after suspected ingestion.

Where it spreads. Spreads aggressively by seed in warm climates. It is invasive in parts of eastern Australia, including Queensland and New South Wales, and in Hawaii; it is also a troublesome garden escape and agricultural weed in parts of the southeastern United States. Check local restrictions before planting, prevent seed set and never dump vines or seed-bearing material in bushland.

• Heavenly blue morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor)

  Usually has smooth, hairless stems and leaves, unlike the noticeably hairy stems of common morning glory. Flower colour alone is not a reliable distinction.

• Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil)

  Often has three-lobed leaves and conspicuously long, narrow, hairy sepal tips beneath each flower; common morning glory usually has unlobed leaves and shorter sepal tips.

• Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

  Has smaller white or pale pink flowers and arrow-shaped leaves. It is a persistent perennial spreading through deep roots, rather than an annual raised from seed.

The common name refers to the flowers opening in the morning, while the Latin purpurea means purple.

Propagation. Grow from seed in spring. Lightly nick the hard seed coat away from the seed's attachment scar, or soak overnight, then sow about 0.25-0.5 in (0.6-1.3 cm) deep. Direct sowing avoids root disturbance; transplant indoor-grown seedlings while still young.

Accepted botanical name

Ipomoea purpurea

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada, Hawaii, the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico.

Native range

Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Arizona, Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Chile Central, Colombia and Costa Rica.

Measured

Average height 231 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.