Ground morning glory

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light afternoon shade in very hot climates, but flowers less in shade.

Water

Water regularly while establishing, then let the soil dry slightly between thorough waterings. Established plants tolerate short dry spells; containers need more frequent watering.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gritty or loamy soil, preferably of moderate to low fertility. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soil, especially in winter.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Flowers

Lavender-blue flowers with pale centres from late spring into autumn, with a longer season in frost-free climates. Flowers close at night and often in dull weather.

Foliage

Evergreen. Small, oval, softly hairy green to grey-green leaves on slender trailing stems.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm weather.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.2 ft (0.06 m)

2. After 1 year

   0.5 ft (0.14 m)

3. After 2 years

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant after hard frosts have passed, choosing a sunny position with sharp drainage.
• Water at soil level and allow the surface to dry between waterings; do not leave pots standing in water.
• Feed container plants lightly with a balanced fertiliser in spring; rich feeding in the ground is usually unnecessary.
• Use gravel around the crown rather than thick, moisture-holding mulch.
• In cold regions, move pots to a bright, frost-free place before autumn frosts and water sparingly through winter.

Pruning. Trim back straggly stems in spring once frost risk has passed. Lightly shear after a main flush of flowers to encourage compact growth and further flowering.

Early spring

Check overwintered plants for rot and remove dead or damaged stems.

Spring

After frost risk has passed, plant outdoors or return overwintered pots to a sunny position.

Late spring

Give container plants a light feed and begin regular watering as growth increases.

Summer

Trim long stems after a flowering flush and check pots frequently for dryness.

Late summer

Take non-flowering shoot cuttings to keep young plants for the following year.

Autumn

Move containers under frost-free cover in cold regions; reduce watering as growth slows.

• Let it spill over a sunny retaining wall to soften stone or brick with blue flowers.
• Use it at the front of a dry, sunny border beside lavender and compact salvias.
• Plant it around the edge of pots or hanging baskets with other sun-loving plants that dislike wet roots.
• Use it as a low groundcover between widely spaced shrubs in a mild-climate gravel garden.

Garden styles it suits: Mediterranean, Coastal, Dry gravel garden, Cottage garden, Small-space and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Lavender, Santolina, Thyme, Rock rose, Salvia and Stonecrop.

Wildlife: The open flowers provide nectar and pollen for visiting bees and other insects.

• Root and crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage, keep the crown clear of damp mulch and reduce winter watering.
• Frost damage: protect container plants under cover; wait until spring to remove damaged growth.
• Aphids on young shoots: wash them off with water or use insecticidal soap according to the label.
• Sparse flowering or loose, leafy growth: provide more sun, reduce feeding and lightly trim trailing stems.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but reliable species-specific safety information is limited. No particular part is established as poisonous; it is not an edible plant, so discourage ingestion.

• Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

  Field bindweed has arrow-shaped leaves, usually white or pink flowers, and twining stems arising from persistent spreading roots. Ground morning glory has small oval leaves and a low, trailing habit.

• Dwarf morning glory (Convolvulus tricolor)

  This annual usually forms a more upright mound and has conspicuous blue flowers with sharply defined white and yellow centres, rather than the softer lavender-blue flowers of ground morning glory.

• Blue daze (Evolvulus glomeratus)

  Blue daze has smaller, flatter blue flowers with a white central eye and often more densely grey-hairy foliage. Ground morning glory has larger, more distinctly funnel-shaped flowers.

Convolvulus comes from the Latin for twining or winding, referring to the climbing habit of many members of the genus.

Propagation. Take softwood or semi-ripe cuttings from non-flowering shoots in late spring or summer and root them in a free-draining medium. Keep cuttings bright but out of strong direct sun until rooted.

Accepted botanical name

Convolvulus sabatius

Native range

Algeria, Italy and Morocco.

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