What is morning glory? Planting and care, photos, plant characteristics - let's look at all this, let's see what varieties you can choose for your garden. Some are so perfect that whenever I admire the graceful funnels of morning glory, the stone flower that Danila the master created comes to mind! The bindweed family, to which morning glory belongs, has about four thousand species. Among them there are annuals, perennials (about 500 species), shrubs, vines and even trees.

Morning glory Gypsy

What is morning glory

Morning glory is a decorative and unpretentious vine. Its other name is farbitis. Many people call this plant bindweed, which is sure to become a bright decoration for your gazebo, hedge, arch or pergola. It can reach five meters in length. In our gardens, we most often plant an annual or perennial vine, which is also called the flower of dawn. This poetic name was given to morning glory not in vain; its gramophone buds are one of the first to bloom, early in the morning, when other flowers have not yet awakened from sleep.

Depending on the variety, morning glory flowers can be double or regular, and the colors are very diverse - blue, violet, dark blue, burgundy, pink, white, red, soft lilac, bicolor. As mentioned above, morning glory is unpretentious, grows very quickly and entwines any support offered to it. Long flowering is another advantage of this flower; from the first days of summer until the onset of cold weather, it will decorate your garden.

Every day a new flower blooms. He does not live long, sometimes until noon, sometimes until evening. And long-term flowering is achieved due to the huge number of flowers and buds.


Morning Glory Carnival of Venice

Growing morning glory is possible not only in open ground, but also in apartment conditions, especially on balconies and loggias, where it will feel great.

Growing morning glory on the balcony

This plant is very often used in landscape design. Its bright beauty, excellent survival rate and rapid growth help in a short time to change for the better the appearance of a gazebo, veranda, fencing and other garden elements.

Morning glory windmill at the pergola

Morning glory leaves are also remarkable and decorative - large, lobed, heart-shaped, rich dark green.

In landscape design, perennial morning glory is more often used, but annual varieties can also be found very often in summer cottages, in flower beds, flower beds, in flowerpots, and also in the form of living carpets. The plant prefers sunny places, good watering (especially in summer), does not like drafts, but still grows normally even in windy places.

Morning glory has an interesting feature: the buds open in the morning and close in the afternoon - this factor is due to the plant’s sensitivity to light. If the days are cloudy, then the flowers may not close at all, but remain open until dusk.

Favorite varieties of morning glory

Of the huge number of varieties of morning glory, approximately 25 species are used in culture. Let's look at some of them.

Morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea)

This is one of the most famous varieties. In favorable conditions, the length of shoots can reach 8 meters. The flowers are large, 5-7 cm long, and can be red, white, pink, blue, maroon, purple. The variety has both regular and double varieties. The most common varieties: Star of Yalta, Milky Way, Scarlett O'Hara.

Particularly interesting is the variety Ipomoea purpurea Paradise Stars - it is a profusely flowering plant, reaching three meters in height, with buds of different colors, heat-loving, light-loving, characterized by long flowering.

Purple morning glory, photo:

Ivy morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea)

The liana can grow up to 3 meters in length. The shape of the leaves is three-lobed, reminiscent of ivy, hence the name. The flowers are medium in size (about 5 cm in diameter), mostly blue, light blue, but also red and pink. It blooms in mid-summer (July) and continues to bloom until October.

Ipomoea ivy, photo:

Morning glory Nile (Ipomoea nil)

It also reaches three meters in length. Blooms from July to mid-autumn.

The flowers of this variety are amazingly decorative: contrasting two-color, with edging in different shades, with an unusual color (pink-brown, bright orange, creamy pink, golden variegated). The shape of the bud can be star-shaped, with terry edges, and with rounded petals.

Morning glory Nile, photo:


Morning glory flower diameter 13.5 cm
Ipomoea terry Serenade

Morning glory (Ipomoea pennata) or cypress vine

This morning glory is an unusual variety with delicate, finely dissected foliage and small star-shaped flowers. The branches of quamoclite reach five meters in length, flowering begins in July and continues until September. This is a very showy plant, with rich green foliage and bright red multiple flowers. Kvamoklit is unpretentious and grows quickly.

Kvamoklit, photo:

Blue morning glory (Ipomoea heavenly blue)

Sometimes this variety of morning glory is also called “Glorious Morning”. It pleases the eye with sky-blue flowers from mid-summer until the onset of the first frost. The flowers are large, can reach 10 cm in diameter, shoots grow up to 2 meters. This heat-loving plant, preferring sunlit areas, loves watering, but does not like waterlogging of the soil.

Blue morning glory, photo:

Moonflowering morning glory (Ipomoea noctiflora)

An amazing nocturnal flower that blooms in the dark and closes its buds in the morning. The shoots of this plant reach three meters in length, the flower itself is approximately 10 cm in diameter. It begins to bloom in mid-July and continues until October. The delicate almond aroma is another plus of this snow-white flower.

Morning glory moonflowering, photo:

Of course, there are a lot of varieties of morning glory, they are all beautiful in their own way, each of them has its own fans. Through the efforts of breeders, more and more new hybrids are appearing, striking in their beauty and individuality.


Morning glory Harlequin
Morning glory Mauro
Morning Glory Orange Morning Glory Neil Kaikio-zaki
Morning Glory Blue Bliss

Today, you can freely purchase a wide variety of morning glory varieties in seeds, and on the appropriate forums you can purchase cuttings or seedlings of the species that interests you.

Morning glory - planting and care in open ground

The most common method of propagation of this plant is self-seeding, in which morning glory sheds its seeds after they ripen. With the onset of spring, the sprouts of young morning glory hatch and stretch towards the sun. You can also buy seeds of the desired variety, and then, according to the sowing rules, germinate them and sow them in the ground. You can even simply sow the seeds directly into the soil, deepening them about 2-3 cm into the hole - there will be a positive result. The distance between the holes should be approximately 20 cm; 2 or 3 morning glory seeds are placed in each hole. You can safely begin this process in the second half of April (in Kuban) or May (central Russia).

Morning glory seeds of different varieties, photo:

You can take a more complicated route and germinate seeds into seedlings. To do this, they are germinated and planted in peat tablets or in containers with suitable soil.

When to plant morning glory seedlings?

In March, pre-soak the seed in warm water (for 24 hours), and then place it in tablets or in separate cups with soil. If some seeds have not swollen after such a daily bath, then you can use a needle and prick them, and then place them again in water for a similar period of time.


The seedling method is more suitable for cold regions, since in this case full-fledged young plants are planted in the soil, rather than tender seeds. Caring for seedlings is simple, seedlings can be observed already on the 10th day, watering is carried out as the soil dries (with lukewarm water). In the room where the seedlings are located, the air temperature should not be lower than +19°C.

In the last days of May or in the first week of June, already grown morning glory can be transferred to open ground.

How to plant morning glory?

Try to carefully remove plants from containers with a large lump of earth, as this crop does not respond well to replanting. The distance between the holes should also be approximately 20 cm. After planting, water the flowers with warm water; when they are actively growing, install a support near each plant (if you did not initially plant the morning glory near the support element).

Morning glory seedlings, photo:

Propagation of morning glory by cuttings

For certain varieties of morning glory, propagation by cuttings is recommended. In this case, the shoots are cut, fragments with two internodes are selected, and the cuttings are cut so that the lower place of the cut is located 1.5-2 cm below the node. After selection, the cuttings are placed in water. 5-7 days after the roots appear, they can be planted for permanent residence in open ground. Within a week, the cutting will be completely rooted in the ground.

How to care for morning glory?

As for care, it is quite simple and does not include any special requirements. Ipomoea is annual, as well as perennial, and grows well in any soil. The main thing is to provide it with regular, but not too abundant watering (so that the roots do not rot). This plant does not require additional feeding. However, if you really want to, then a complex mineral supplement can be added along with water during watering, during the period when morning glory is actively growing. To make everything look aesthetically pleasing, remove damaged or dried shoots. Periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds. The most important thing for morning glory is a reliable and strong support for growth and further weaving.

Photo of morning glory:

Such a different morning glory

In open ground, as well as at home (on a balcony or loggia), there are no particular differences between the requirements for growing this flower. All actions are the same, water the plant and provide it with support, then the morning glory on the balcony will feel just as great as its relative on the summer cottage.

Pest Control

Morning glory in winter

With the onset of winter, perennial morning glory should be carefully dug up and moved into a large pot, which should be brought indoors or into the basement. In this case, the above-ground part of the plant is naturally cut off. If the winters in your region are not too severe, it can easily overwinter in the open ground.

Here, in principle, are all the nuances concerning this plant. With minimal labor costs, you can create unprecedented beauty in your summer cottage. You will definitely love morning glory! Planting and care, a photo of this flower and all the above information, I hope, will help you strengthen your choice of options for decorating your summer cottage, gazebo, fence or other garden element.

Morning glory ruby ​​lights

Morning glory or farbitis belongs to the genus of flowering plants, which is the most numerous of the Convolvulaceae family. Representatives of the genus can be found in the wild in the tropics and subtropical regions. These annual or perennial plants can be bushes, trees or vines. In floriculture, vines are widely grown, the flowers of which open early in the morning earlier than those of other flowers. Graceful morning glory flowers turn to follow the sun throughout the day. During the flowering period, the stems of this climbing plant are completely covered with luxurious flowers, which can have a wide variety of shapes and colors. The field loach weed, which all gardeners struggle with, is a relative of the gorgeous morning glory - a desirable inhabitant of any garden. The morning glory flower will decorate any garden, but to grow it, you need to make a little effort. How to care for this highly ornamental plant in order to grow lush flowering vines?

Varietal varieties of morning glory

Most often, various species forms are grown in our gardens. This vine is very widespread in Japan, and Japanese breeders have developed many varieties of it. In addition, morning glory in Japan is considered a medicinal plant.

  • The Grandfather OTS variety is very popular among our gardeners. It is also called Grand. This is the earliest variety in terms of flowering. The flowers are very large, up to 5 cm in diameter, rich purple in color with dark strokes. The bush grows very lush, the shoots reach 3.5 meters in length.
  • The next very popular variety is Pink Lollipop. This is a variety of domestic selection with very beautiful, bright pink flowers. The heart of the flower is ivory-colored, the bells reach 8 cm in diameter. The foliage of this variety is much lighter than other varieties.
  • Dacopa - this variety has slightly lilac petals with a blue tint, like a translucent flower with a pink core, it is also called blue morning glory. The flowers of this variety look like exotic butterflies. The variety blooms very profusely, and sometimes the foliage is not even visible because of the flowers.
  • The rare variety Rosita has bright red flowers, which are painted with white strokes. This variety is considered the best for growing on the balcony. Its shoots reach a length of 2 meters, and some gardeners grow Rosita in flower pots.
  • Of the double flowers, the most popular variety is Serenade to the Sun with carved, very shaggy bells. The edges of the flowers are painted with patterns, and their color is wine red with white stripes.
  • The brightest flowers of the morning glory variety Giselle are sky blue in color, reaching a diameter of 8 cm.

All morning glory is easily propagated by seeds, which remain viable for four years. Seeds can be sown either immediately in open soil, when the air and soil have warmed up sufficiently, or for seedlings at the end of March.

Sowing seeds

Before sowing the seeds, they should be soaked for a day in water at room temperature. When the seeds swell, they can be sown. It happens that a small particle of seeds swells within 24 hours. Such seeds must be pricked with a needle and soaked in water again for the same time. Morning glory seeds usually germinate in 10 days. The ideal room temperature for successful seed germination is +18 degrees. Seeds can be sown in boxes filled with a specially prepared substrate, or in peat pots, which will greatly facilitate planting seedlings in open ground. Particular attention should be paid to the composition of the soil for sowing seeds, since each variety of morning glory requires a certain soil. If you sow morning glory of African origin, then it needs a substrate for succulent plants with the addition of crushed expanded clay. American varieties will not be able to grow in such soil. For species of American origin, it is necessary to mix two parts of leaf humus, part peat and half a part of fine expanded clay. For American species, it is good to add crushed coconut fiber to the substrate.

Read also: Growing Kalmia latifolia

Experienced gardeners sow morning glory seeds in peat cups of three or four pieces. The cups must be placed in a tray and covered with transparent film to create a small greenhouse. As the soil dries, it is necessary to water it, and the greenhouse should be ventilated from time to time. Particular attention should be paid to the temperature regime - it is optimal if the temperature in the room is about 18-20 degrees. After 10-12 days, the first shoots should appear.

Morning glory seedlings

It is necessary to carefully care for morning glory until the seedlings reach a height of 15 cm. Caring for seedlings consists of regular ventilation, loosening the soil and watering. Tender seedlings must be watered very carefully so as not to break the plant. But when the seedlings get stronger, they can be transplanted into open ground in the garden.

Annual morning glory, just like perennial morning glory, are grown in seedlings, although some gardeners sow this flower directly into open ground.

Selecting a location

Growing and caring for morning glory is a very exciting activity. The fact is that morning glory flowers have one very interesting feature - the buds close under the midday sun. It is advisable to choose a site in light partial shade for morning glory. Well, if you are ready to put up with the flowers closing in the middle of the day, then feel free to plant the vine in a sunny place, for example, along a fence. It is also advisable to choose an area for the vine that is protected from winds and drafts, because the fragile shoots and flowers of the vine can be damaged by gusts of wind.

This is perhaps the most versatile plant for the garden! If you decide to plant perennial morning glory, then planting and caring for it does not take much time. Perennial morning glory plant species can be grown either by sowing seeds directly into the ground or by seedlings. The vine is not at all demanding regarding the composition of the soil, but if we talk about preferences, then for morning glory it is optimal to choose an area with loose, calcareous soil.

If you are planting perennial plant species, you should place three seeds in one hole. The bed under the vine is first dug up, and then small holes are dug, which are spilled with water. The depth of planting the seeds is approximately 2 cm and do not forget to stick sticks in the place where the seeds are planted so as not to forget about them.
If you are planting seedlings, then the main condition is to preserve the earthen ball around the roots, since morning glory is very difficult to tolerate transplants. Holes for seedlings should be made spacious. The distance between seedlings should be at least 20 cm. The time for planting seedlings in a permanent place in the garden is early June. If you decide to grow annual morning glory, then planting and caring for it will not inherently differ from planting perennial species.

Read also: How to plant and care for Ixia

Care

Morning glory requires minimal care. The main thing in growing this plant is watering. The vines should be watered frequently as soon as the soil dries out. But, on the other hand, you also cannot overdo it with watering, because excess moisture in the soil can cause rotting of the roots, which will lead to the death of the plant. Water the vines as needed, keeping the soil moist around the roots.


This plant reacts very poorly to temperature changes. It requires warmth to grow successfully. When the air temperature drops to +4 degrees in autumn, the plant begins to die. In the spring, when morning glory is planted early, the plant may die due to May frosts. That is why it is more advisable to grow the vine in seedlings, so that the plant has time to bloom over the summer and delight with an abundance of bright flowers.

Morning glories are unpretentious flowers that practically do not need fertilizing. If you apply too much fertilizer, it can have a bad effect on flowering. But you still need to feed morning glory. In order for the plant to quickly send out shoots in the summer and set many buds, in the spring it is necessary to apply fertilizers with nitrogen under the vine. You can also spray the vine with nutrient solutions. To make flowering longer and more luxuriant, fertilizers containing phosphorus should be applied during the flowering period. Phosphorus fertilizers can be applied directly to the soil when preparing the bed for planting.

In September, seed boxes appear on the vines, which can be collected for sowing next year. But, if the autumn is cold, then the seeds simply will not have time to ripen by the time of collection. Therefore, many gardeners prefer to purchase seeds in specialized stores.

Trimming

From time to time the vine needs to be trimmed. This plant needs pruning. Diseased and weak shoots broken by the wind should be removed. If you plant a perennial variety, it will need to be pruned in September with the onset of the first frost. In spring, perennial varieties are also pruned to form a bush, leaving no more than three stems on each plant when pruning. Sometimes morning glory is thinned out during the summer if it begins to produce too many shoots.

Perennial varieties differ from annual varieties with very beautiful, sharp foliage, which with the arrival of autumn changes its color to purple. For the winter, perennial morning glory requires shelter, but in our gardens they are more often grown as an annual crop.

This plant needs support, because the vine must curl. You can plant morning glory under trees, along a fence, along the walls of a house, or next to gazebos. Although this plant can climb on any surface, including horizontal ones. As a support, you can tie ropes and tie a vine to them. Morning glory is not at all picky about planting and care, but it is an excellent plant for arches.

Read also: Growing New Zealand delphinium in a summer cottage

Diseases and pests

Aphid

If you notice vague, yellowish spots on the leaves of the plant, it means that aphids have settled on it. These insects pierce the foliage and suck the sap from the plant. You can also determine that the vine has been attacked by aphids by the sticky dew that the insects secrete during their “work.” In this dew, over time, a very dangerous fungus can develop, which will destroy the morning glory if you do not rid it of aphids.

Using insecticides to control aphids will help you get rid of this pest. At the first sign of aphids, treat the vine with special preparations two or three times.

Spider mite

If a spider mite attacks a vine, you will be able to see characteristic dots and thin webs on the leaves. You can save a plant from spider mites simply by washing off the pest with strong water pressure. You need to bathe the vines in cold water for several days in a row to get rid of spider mites.

Diseases

Among the diseases, morning glory is often affected by fungal diseases - white rust, anthracnose, rot. Also, morning glory can become infected with over 20 types of viral infections. Physiological conditions such as white edema are very common. To treat some fungal diseases, it is enough to treat the plant with a fungicide and remove the affected parts. But soft, root and stem rot are incurable diseases. When they appear, the plant should be immediately destroyed - dug up by the roots, taken out of the area and burned to stop the spread of infection.

The main source of fungal diseases is contaminated soil. Waterlogging of the soil is especially dangerous for morning glory.

Viral diseases are also incurable, and the only thing gardeners can do is to destroy diseased plants. White swelling most often affects plants grown in greenhouses or indoors. The reason for the appearance of this disease is improper care of the flower: excessive watering, high air humidity, low air temperature. When this disease appears, greenish or yellow blisters appear on morning glory leaves, gradually turning brown and thickening. Leaves affected by the disease wither and fall off.

Combination of morning glory with other plants

Morning glory is best suited for landscaping absolutely any surface in garden design. This plant is in perfect harmony with other inhabitants of the garden:

  • Campsis;
  • Wild grapes;
  • Ivy;
  • In autumn, morning glory looks luxurious against the background of green hop cones;
  • The liana combines perfectly with deciduous trees when it entwines the branches of an adult tree and blooms its flowers;
  • Morning glories look especially decorative on trees in the fall.

If you need to decorate a terrace, veranda, gazebo, or simply make an unsightly fence more attractive, be sure to plant morning glory. This beautifully flowering plant can be planted under trees or used to landscape any surface. A little care and attention, and your garden will be decorated with festively dressed morning glory. A little care and attention, and the plant will thank you with lush, bright flowering and luscious foliage.

Morning glory is a crop belonging to the bindweed family. It has about 500 varieties: annuals, perennials, evergreen shrubs and trees. Many of them are climbing and climbing climbers.

Peculiarities

Although these plants are primarily grown for their beautiful flowers, some varieties are cultivated for their foliage. For example, the popular Blackie vine (ipomoea batatas blackie).

Visually, the shoots of the plant resemble a grapevine. The stem can reach 8 meters, but on average does not exceed three. The leaves are heart shaped.

The flowers are funnel-shaped (they are also called “gramophones”). The diameter of the flower can reach 15 cm. There are a lot of colors: blue, purple, pink, white and others. Flowering lasts from July until the first frost.

The seeds are very toxic if eaten. For example, the seed of the tricolor variety contains small amounts of the hallucinogen LSD. It has been used medically in the treatment of various mental disorders.

Morning glory is mainly grown in garden plots and much less often indoors. But quite often it is planted to decorate balconies, loggias and entrances.

Beneficial features

Some parts of morning glory are used by humans. For example, morning glory pes-caprae has the following uses:

  • the juice squeezed from the plant is used in Malaysia to treat fish bites;
  • leaves are used in Indonesia to speed up the healing of boils;
  • the juice from the young leaves is boiled in coconut oil and used to treat ulcers, and the seeds, along with areca nuts, are taken for abdominal pain and cramps;
  • In the Philippines, boiled leaves are used to treat rheumatism.

Scientists are beginning to consider sweet potatoes (I. batatas) as more than just a food source.

Certain properties of the leaves of this plant have been shown to be antimicrobial. This was a discovery made during a study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture in 2007.

The study was conducted to determine the growth of bacteria that may be inhibited by artificially grown sweet potato leaves.

The results of this experiment led the researchers to conclude that sweet potato leaves definitely contain antibacterial compounds that are resistant to E. coli. Additionally, the growth rate of saphylococcus aureus (a type of bacteria responsible for staph infections) was also significantly reduced by chemical compounds found in sweet potato leaves.

Hence, these leaves have a promising future by preventing the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning from certain foods and may even help with certain skin infections.

Perennial morning glory can grow in winter in an apartment and even outside. However, it is still more suitable for the southern regions, since its frost resistance is quite low.

Growing morning glory in pots is quite possible. They are even good for decorating a terrace or balcony. For this:

  • choose a fairly wide pot, about 30 cm in size;
  • make sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot and place a layer of clay pebbles on the bottom;
  • fill the pot with a mixture of soil for flowering plants;
  • Water without flooding the plant.

More details about the features of cultivation are below.

Types and varieties

The best types of morning glory.

  • "Serenade"- a very showy variety with bright red flowers. Height – up to 3 meters. The flowers have a diameter of about 8 cm. Blooms from late July to October.

  • Picota- the plant is about 2.5 meters long. Flowers are about 10 cm in diameter. The color is bright blue. The petals have a thin white rim. It blooms for a long time - from the end of July until the first frost.

  • "Milky Way"– shoots can reach 3 meters. The flowers have a diameter of up to 10 cm. The color is white with purple strokes on the petals. The variety is very delicate and elegant.

  • "Morning Glory" are fast-growing vines that produce large, fragrant flowers. However, these beautiful plants can become an invasive weed if their growth is not controlled.

  • Moonflower- a tropical American plant. Reaches 6 m in length. It has lantern-like flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, opening in the shade.

  • "Sky Blue"- has large blue flowers. They are located on the stem in the amount of 2–3 pieces. Flowers up to 10 cm in diameter.

  • "Firmament"– the plant blooms every day. Easy to care for. The flowers are sky blue.

  • "Ruby Lights"- has exceptionally bright flowers, up to 3 cm in size. Blooms until late autumn.

  • "Raffles"– strong, tall-growing plants with beautiful flowers. They rise up to 2 m. Therefore, they are used to create a flower fence or screen.

  • "Flying saucer"- large flowers of blue shades, blooming every day.

  • "Scarlet O'Hara"- red flowers. Large “gramophones” that are pleasing to the eye.

  • "Mina Lobata"- a Mexican plant with spike-shaped flowers that have a mixture of three colors: white, orange and red.

  • "Beauty of Moscow"- a plant with heart-shaped, three-lobed leaves. Flowers up to 7 cm scarlet.

In addition, the following varieties of morning glory are quite popular: “Lady Hamilton”, “Kikyo-zaki”, ampelous, “Giselle”, “Red Star”, “Summer Joy” and others.

Growing conditions

Like any other plant, morning glory has its own nuances in cultivation. Let's get to know them.

Morning glory loves sunlight. Therefore, flowers should receive as much direct sunlight as possible, especially when the seedlings are still young. Keep houseplants near a south-facing window (or a north-facing window if you live in the Southern Hemisphere). The ideal soil temperature for germination is around +20–30ºC.

Keep the soil moist until the true leaves appear. A young plant may not germinate or die if the soil dries out. Germination takes 5–21 days (but usually within a week). Seedlings are less vulnerable when the first true leaves appear (the first leaves to appear are called cotyledons and are noticeably different from the real leaves).

If you started planting indoors, once the seedlings are well established and the last frost has passed, take them outside. During this acclimatization period, try to keep the soil moist.

Once the seedlings reach 15 cm in height, place a stake or trellis to raise the vine. Alternatively, plant seedlings in a hanging basket, allowing the vines to cascade over the edge.

Mature plants are quite tolerant of dry soil. They may even not require watering at all in humid or cool climates. In hot weather, water once or twice a week. Over-watering can cause the stems to become overgrown with few flowers.

Give mature plants access to a trellis or arbor for shade.. Or let them grow on a dead tree or pole. They can't climb flat surfaces, so hang plastic netting on the wall if you want the vines to grow there.

Give the vines plenty of space, as some varieties can grow up to 5m in one season.

Check your morning glory for pests from time to time. Insect problems are uncommon, but it is worth checking for aphids and other insects from time to time. If a problem occurs, organic pesticides are usually used. Typically, each individual flower opens in the morning and dies before the end of the day. This makes morning glory one of the most interesting and beautiful plants to decorate the garden.

Air temperature can change the color of a flower during the day. Remove dead vines in winter. Morning glories can survive mild frosts, but in most cases they die at the beginning of winter.

The plant, in most cases, reproduces well on its own. And you don’t need to constantly buy seeds for the next season. However, you may find that the entire garden begins to become covered in vines.

Therefore, it is better to remove dead vines immediately. New seeds usually grow from the original location, but you can collect seeds for planting by hand.

Don't use too much fertilizer. Fertilize first when your flowers are first planted. And then - no more than once a month. If you enrich the soil too often, you will encourage foliage growth rather than flowering.

Sowing seeds

Let's talk about how to properly prepare seed material for growing morning glory.

  • Buy packaged seeds morning glory or collect the seed pods from the plant.
  • Seeds should be planted after the last frost. When planting outdoors, wait until the last frost has passed and the soil begins to warm up. If you want to sow indoors, you can start 4-6 weeks before the end of frost. Depending on your local conditions, it may be possible to plant in late summer if you have a mild winter. If it’s already getting cold in September, then you shouldn’t sow. If the seeds are stored in winter, keep them in a dry, dark place.
  • Some seeds are too difficult to germinate without first preparing them. To increase the chances of success, the seeds are usually cut with a nail file or soaked overnight in water at room temperature. But if you have a lot of seeds, you can skip this step and just accept the fact that not all the seeds will germinate. However, some gardeners claim that soaking can cause rot or infection. And planting in moist soil (without soaking) will lead to similar results, but with less risk.
  • Some varieties do not tolerate transplantation well due to their thin root system. Therefore, it is better to choose one permanent place and always stick to it. If you are starting the plant indoors, use a pot of peat moss that can be buried in the garden if you want to take the plant outside. Morning glory can be successfully sown outside.
  • Prepare soil with good drainage. The mature plant is very tolerant of poor soil conditions, but the seeds require a well-draining growing medium. To do this, mix 1 part perlite with 3 parts soil or 1 part sand with 2 parts soil. Do not mix sand with heavy clay soil. There is no need to grow them in very rich, fertile soil either - this may result in fewer flowers in some varieties, especially Sky Blue and other tricolor morning glory varieties.
  • Plant each seed in a 1/2-inch hole and cover lightly with soil. If you plant them directly in the garden plot, the choice of distance depends on the size of the variety and personal preference. It's a good idea to plant the seeds 5cm apart and then widen them to 15-30cm apart once the seedlings are 7-8cm tall. At this height, the seedlings are well developed and less vulnerable to pests.

To plant crops in an apartment, you will need the following.

  • Prepare pots or flower boxes for the balcony.
  • As soil, you can use purchased soil with the addition of vermiculite. A good drainage layer is required.
  • It is necessary to prepare a site for culture.
  • Seedlings are placed in containers. The distance should be about 20 cm. They can also be planted in separate containers.
  • Since plants are usually grown on a balcony or loggia, it is important to protect them from drafts or wind. Direct sunlight is also undesirable.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Outdoors (for example, in a country house), seedlings or seeds are planted in May, when the soil is warm and the threat of freezing has already passed.

The distance between plants when planting should be not less than 20 cm. When planting seeds, consider the required distance between them.

When planting seeds outdoors, consider the following nuances.

  • Wind is dangerous for crops as it can break stems and damage flowers.
  • The plant does not like excess sunlight. Therefore, it is better to plant morning glory in partial shade.
  • The soil should not be too fertile, because the plant will develop heavily in greenery, and the flowering will not be as intense and abundant.
  • Morning glory should be planted near supports - this can be a tree, a fence, a fence or special spacers in the form of nets or stretched wires.
  • Soil enrichment is carried out in spring and autumn. In the fall you need to apply complex mineral fertilizers, and in the spring – organic fertilizers.
  • Watering should be done moderately so as not to flood the soil.

In general, there are no particularly significant differences between indoor and garden care.

How to properly care?

Humidity and watering

  • Morning glory needs regular but moderate watering. In summer, watering is carried out every day, but you need to be sure that there is no excess water at the base.
  • In winter, watering once a week or less is sufficient. You just need to make sure that the soil does not dry out.
  • Morning glory does not need high humidity. However, it loves spraying, which can be done up to 2 times a day.

Soil and fertilizers

Morning glory prefers a loose and permeable base. You can buy ready-made soils at a specialty store. You can add to them vermiculite and coconut. Some species prefer substrate for cacti.

At the stage of active plant growth - that is, from early spring to the end of summer - fertilizing must be carried out up to 3 times a week. You can use fertilizers designed for cacti or flowering crops.

Trimming and Capturing

Pruning and trimming stimulate new growth, improving the appearance of the plant.

Seedling care

  • For seedlings, it is recommended to buy ready-made soil for flower plants and prepare the substrate yourself, combining components such as peat, sand and soil.
  • Seedlings should be kept warm and in good light.

To make the seeds grow faster, you need to cover the crops with plastic film or glass to create a greenhouse effect.

Seed collection

After the flowers have disappeared, a brown box will begin to form in their place. We need to give it time to dry and open. This will happen in about a month. Then it is recommended to collect the seeds and pour them into a paper bag.

Reproduction methods

In general, morning glory has 4 methods of reproduction. Let's look at them briefly.

  • Self-seeding. There is an independent release of ripened seeds, which overwinter in the soil and break out in the spring.
  • The above mentioned propagation by seeds, when they are collected manually and in the spring they are planted on a personal plot.
  • Planting seedlings at home and subsequent transfer of seedlings to open ground.
  • Cutting method not as common as the previous ones. Suitable only for some varieties of morning glory.

Diseases and pests

First, let's look at the diseases to which morning glory is susceptible.

Fungal infection of leaves

Symptoms:

  • brown spots on leaves with concentric rings resembling a target;
  • Old leaves are usually affected, which may be surrounded by a yellow halo;
  • small gray-black oval lesions can occur on the stems and petioles of leaves and sometimes on the leaves themselves;
  • lesions on the stem and cuttings enlarge and often merge.

Stem and leaf petiole disease is much more destructive than leaf spots caused by Alternaria; stem and petiole blight is a severe disease of sweet potatoes in East Africa.

Treatment: All remaining sweet potato crops must be destroyed immediately after harvest. Plant only resistant or tolerant varieties.

Black rot

Symptoms:

  • stunted, withering plants;
  • yellowing;
  • drooping leaves;
  • round brown-black spots of rot on tubers.

Rot continues to develop in stored tubers.

Treatment:

  • disease-free seed must be sown;
  • should not be planted in places where the plant has been grown for the previous 3–4 years;
  • The seed should be treated with an appropriate fungicide before planting.

Root and stem rotting

Symptoms:

  • swollen and distorted base of stems;
  • deep dark rot, spreading deep into the tuber and forming elliptical cavities;
  • growth of white mold.

The disease can be transmitted by contaminated seed.

Treatment:

  • disease is generally not a problem if good sanitation is practiced;
  • for sowing, select only disease-free seeds;
  • treat seed roots with a suitable fungicide before planting.

Bacterial soft rot

Symptoms:

  • brown or black spots on stems and cuttings that quickly expand and cause soft rot on the stem;
  • the stem may collapse, which will lead to the withering of several vines;
  • the entire plant may die;
  • roots may develop soft rot areas that are initially colorless but eventually turn brown.

Symptoms develop after hot weather.

Treatment:

  • avoid damage to roots during storage at all stages of growth;
  • Plant only disease-free seed;
  • Vines for replanting should be pruned above the soil surface.

Bacterial wilt

Symptoms:

  • new shoots wither, their bases become watery and take on a yellow-brown or dark brown color;
  • infection of healthy plants leads to the fact that the lower parts of the stems are also saturated with water and acquire a color similar to the infected sprouts;
  • yellow-brown streaks may develop inside the roots.

Treatment: Only disease-free roots should be used for planting, and planting should only be done in disease-free areas.

Leaf and stem scab

Symptoms:

  • small brown spots on the leaves that become corky in texture and cause the veins to shrink, which in turn causes the leaves to curl;
  • lesions on the stem - they are slightly raised and have a purple or brown center with light brown edges.

Treatment:

  • avoid using overhead watering;
  • use only healthy planting material;
  • application of appropriate fungicides can help control the disease.

morning glory pox

Symptoms:

  • poor plant growth;
  • round dark brown corky formations on tubers that are V-shaped in cross section;
  • cracked and distorted tubers resembling dumbbells;
  • rotting roots.

Treatment:

  • the most effective method of combating this disease is the use of resistant varieties;
  • if such varieties are not available, then the soil should be kept at a low pH, which is unfavorable for the pathogen;
  • Fumigation of soil before planting can be an effective method of reducing disease.

Now let's talk about what pests are most dangerous for morning glory.

Omphisa anastomosalis (bloodworm)

Symptoms:

  • the larvae penetrate the trunk leading to the roots;
  • damage in the crown area leads to withering, yellowing and death of plants;
  • the holes can be easily identified by the presence of feces on the surface of the soil and holes in the stem.

Treatment:

  • keep the field weed-free;
  • use planting material that has been tested for the absence of eggs and larvae;
  • Use pheromone traps to control insects.

Phyllophaga ephilida (white grub)

The white grubs are the larvae of scarab beetles, commonly called chafers. The larvae are white in color and shaped like the letter C. They typically feed on soil, organic matter and plant materials.

Symptoms:

  • pathogens feed on underground parts, including the main stem and roots;
  • they also feed on tubers, making tunnels;
  • the infected plant eventually withers and dies.

Treatment:

  • deep summer plowing exposes the larva and pupa present in the soil;
  • provide adequate drainage in the soil to avoid excess moisture;
  • application of biocontrol agents (such as Bacillus popilliae and B. lentimorbus bacteria) kills the larvae.

Read more about planting and caring for morning glory below.

morning glory named after a worm. This is how the word “ips” is translated from Greek. Looking at a plant, you don’t understand the analogy with invertebrates.

In the photo, perennial morning glory

Bright, beautiful, elegant. However, the growth pattern of the grass explains everything. Morning glory and garden - bindweed. Their roots and stems, like worms, crawl deep and far. But this is not the only feature.

Features of morning glory

Most morning glories are vines. But among them there are also herbs, shrubs, and dwarf trees. They constitute one of the genera of the Bindweed family. It includes 500 plant species.

They inhabit the tropics and subtropics, found in Africa, the West Indies, and America. In Russia morning glory flower represented by only one species - Siberian. But, other varieties are also grown at home.

morning glory plant It can be annual or perennial. A distinctive feature is the funnel-shaped buds. They are attached to long stalks. During the day they turn to follow the Sun. As a result, the buds are always turned towards him.

In the photo Ipomoea purpurea

They open at dawn, even before dawn. For this, the British called morning glory the morning greeting, and the Japanese called it the morning face. Interestingly, by noon the buds close and cannot tolerate excess light. Flowering lasts all day only during cloudy periods.

Ipomoea perennial, or annual, only one day. Afterwards, the bud withers and several new ones appear in its place. The replacement of some colors by others continues from early summer until late autumn.

This is a period of active growing season. Bindweeds grow quickly. Gardeners use morning glory to weave fences, house facades, and gazebos. Flower growers place plants on walls made of decorative stone, in hanging flower pots, and near columns indoors.

Pictured is morning glory sweet potato

Planting morning glory is also of interest to agricultural workers. Among the bindweeds there are many food crops. They eat, for example, sweet potato tubers. They taste like potatoes, only sweeter, and are considered dietary. Morning Glory Sweet Potato- part of haute, restaurant cuisine.

In Mexico and India, the seeds of some bindweeds are also eaten. True, the purpose of the meal is to cause hallucinations. The grains contain LSA.

This substance alters consciousness, which is why it has become part of occult practices and fortune telling. So, the name morning glory is not an empty phrase for magicians and sorcerers.

Types of morning glory

Morning glory seeds They are divided into garden species and those grown in apartments. The first ones are unpretentious. The latter, on the contrary, are demanding in care. About 25 varieties of bindweed are used in gardening.

First variety - morning glory Batatos. It was mentioned as a food crop. They eat tubers. But there is also decorative value. The grass is tall and large. They are bright, most often yellow.

Ipomoea Cairo is also in demand. It is distinguished by an abundant scattering of buds and particularly rapid growth rates. And here morning glory blue stands out for its early flowering. The buds bloom at the end of May. The name of the variety is associated with color. They are heavenly in tone.

In the photo there is a sky-colored morning glory

The purple look is surprising in length. One bindweed grows up to 8 meters. The buds are collected in inflorescences. Each flower is 7-8 centimeters in diameter. But the color is not necessarily purple. There are also purple, pink and scarlet options. Ipomoea Nile is also multicolored. But the length of its stem does not exceed 3 meters, and the buds are smaller.

Moonflower morning glory – photo, showing the largest . Their diameter is 12 centimeters. At the same time, the length of the stem is only 6 meters.

Distinguished by its appearance and special aroma. The buds smell of almonds. The same cannot be said about the Tricolor variety. It has almost no smell. But the buds are colorful. Purple peduncle. The core is blue. The edges become purple.

Most bindweeds have heart-shaped leaves and flower edges that are slightly wavy, almost round. Doesn't fit the description morning glory Kvamoklit. Its foliage is textured, reminiscent of the green of fern or cypress. The leaves are dissected into needle-shaped lobes.

In the photo Ipomoea quamoclite

The funnels of the buds towards the edges are divided into petals. As a rule, there are 5 of them. The petals have a triangular shape, due to which they resemble red stars. Less commonly, pink and white varieties are found. The subspecies Twinkling Stars is considered exotic. Buds of all three colors bloom on it.

Morning glories with lacy foliage are united by the name Camoclita. They are usually perennial and therefore suitable for potted gardening. The White species is also grown in apartments. Its milk buds are fragrant and large. The length of the stems approaches 6 meters. Decorative grilles, hedges, and reliefs in the form of masonry are required.

In the photo Ipomoea velvet

Hostfalla is also started in houses. This is also perennial morning glory. Buy its seeds are better than those produced in India. This is the birthplace of the plant. It is in India that the best varieties are bred. True, they are sensitive to temperature and humidity, but they are quite miniature. This is good for apartment conditions.

Morning glory care at home

The minimum temperature for most morning glory varieties is 12 degrees Celsius. Minimum lighting – partial shade. Bright but diffused light is preferred. The soil will have to be periodically loosened and fertilized. Fertilizing with nitrogen and organic elements is suitable.

Morning glory, planting and care behind which they are discussed, usually grows up in the company of their own kind. The distance between seedlings is left at 30-40 centimeters. Otherwise, the wall of bindweed will be too thick. This will reduce decorativeness, slow down growth and flowering.

If morning glory is grown from seeds, they are sown in early April. Before planting, the grains lie in warm water for a couple of days. This allows the shell to soften.

In the photo Ipomoea indoors

Morning glory seeds are hard and do not germinate without soaking. Shoots should appear in a week. Feed once every two weeks and water every few days. The plant does not like dryness or excessive soil moisture.

Morning glory price

Plant seeds are priced from 15 to 50 rubles per pack. The cost depends on the variety of morning glory, supplier, and store markup. The number of beans in the package also affects. There are also bindweed seedlings on sale. As a rule, morning glory is offered along with petunias.

The plants are similar not only in appearance, but also in price. For a cassette with 10 sprouts they usually ask for about 100-150 rubles. This is when taking into account pickup. Delivery is discussed separately.

In the photo Ipomoea purpurea

You won't find morning glory in potted plant stores. Grass, after all, is considered more garden than domestic. Therefore, they go to the centers for goods for gardening and personal plots to buy seedlings. In warm regions, most morning glories are considered weeds, and malicious ones at that.

So the demand for bindweed is uneven. Although, with the help of flexible stems you can cover up any shortcomings in garden structures, making them spectacular and memorable.

Early in the morning, the bushes of blooming morning glory are full of inexpressible charm. Morning glory - variety of varieties, planting, cultivation, care in open ground, propagation.

Description: varieties and varieties of morning glory

The plant Ipomoea belongs to the bindweed family. There are more than 500 different plant species, characterized by very rapid growth. Morning glory usually blooms in July and continues until October.

Morning glory is native to South America, where the plant is cultivated as a perennial. In Russia, the plant is grown as an annual crop. The many existing plant varieties allow you to select options for using the crop to decorate a certain area of ​​the territory when growing morning glory in open ground.

Modern varieties of morning glory have supplemented plants native to the African continent, which reproduce by underground tubers. These are the so-called caudex morning glory. Bizarre, swollen aboveground stems turn into a long vine. The variety of colors of these morning glories is amazing. In terms of care, the crop is somewhat different from ordinary types: it requires more sun and fertilizers.

Morning glory grows beautifully and quickly, blooms in numerous colors, abundantly and decoratively. Thanks to its rapid growth, the crop is ideal for decorating problem areas in the garden: high pergolas, gazebos, lanterns and other small gardening forms. Morning glory bushes grow over 3 meters. It is difficult to imagine vertical gardening in landscape design without this plant.

Morning glory leaves are oval, large, sometimes heart-shaped, juicy green. The morning glory quamoclite variety has thin, openwork, bright green foliage, which differs from the classic shape of the plant’s leaves.

Funnel-shaped flowers in most species are up to 12 cm in size (moonflower), the color of the flowers depends on the variety. Kvamoklit also differs from ordinary varieties of morning glory in its flowers - bright “stars” of red, burgundy or white shades are hidden among the openwork, airy foliage (photo).

Flowering in open ground begins in early summer and continues until frost. The seeds, very large, ripen in a closed box, which cracks over time. Large morning glory seeds that fall to the ground germinate easily, so at the site where the crop is planted, you can observe the growth of several generations of plants in one growing season.

The most popular morning glory varieties are:

  • Moonflower - huge milky white flowers with a shimmering effect.
  • Tricolor morning glory - colored white, yellow and blue.
  • Purple morning glory is a familiar and widespread plant variety. Can come with flowers in all shades of purple or pink. Flowers are often medium or small.
  • Blue morning glory - flowers of pure blue color, very large. Looks great in plantings with moonflower.
  • Kvamoklit - differs from other types of morning glory in leaf shape, flowers and height.

Planting a plant

It is best to choose a place for planting morning glory in partial shade. In bright sunlight, the plant quickly closes its flowers, which affects the decorative effect when decorating areas in landscape design. With strong shading, the crop feels depressed, development slows down, and flowers become smaller.

Attention! When planting crops, the direction of the wind should be taken into account. Constant gusts of wind easily damage the stems and leaves of morning glory, especially if the plant is planted with seedlings.

Sowing the seeds of the plant in open ground in the spring does not cause any difficulties: morning glory sprouts beautifully. Plants can also be planted with seedlings in a permanent location, but you just need to make sure that they are not overgrown. Any soil except sandy loam is suitable for planting crops.

Advice. When placing plants near buildings, it is necessary to provide for the removal of precipitation from the roof, away from morning glory plantings.

Plant care

Growing morning glory requires certain plant care:


Morning glory: planting and care - minimum difficulties; high decorative value of the plant.

Fertilizer and feeding of morning glory

During the growth period, morning glory needs to be fertilized regularly. You should choose the right fertilizer. To increase leaf mass, nitrogen fertilizers are used, which are applied in the form of root dressings. You can carry out foliar feeding on the green mass of the bush, spraying the nutrient solution through a spray bottle. Long-term and decorative flowering is ensured by phosphorus fertilizers. They can be applied both when preparing the planting site, directly into the soil, and during the growing season under morning glory bushes.

The plant responds well to fertilization with microelements, which are applied under the plant during the growing season and flowering. Growing morning glory using fertilizers allows you to obtain well-groomed, lush vines that are resistant to weather conditions and diseases.

Plant propagation

The main method of propagation of morning glory is by seed. Sowing seeds in open ground in a permanent place is carried out in the spring, with the onset of stable heat. The bed for the seeds is prepared in advance and deeply loosened. You can immediately add long-acting phosphorus fertilizer (granular double superphosphate) to the soil before sowing.

I plant the seeds in the soil, but not deeply, otherwise it is difficult for them to germinate. Watering the sown morning glory seeds must be done regularly, through a sprayer, so as not to wash the seeds out of the soil.

The morning glory emerges together and immediately begins to grow. To ensure early flowering, the crop can be planted in a greenhouse for seedlings, and when planted in a place protected from the wind, a support is immediately installed. Propagating morning glory by seeds is not difficult.

Diseases and pests

The main pests that attack morning glory plants are aphids and spider mites. Both pests suck the juices from the plant. Affected leaves first turn yellow and then dry out. Infected plants become bare, stop blooming, and usually dry out completely.

Timely care of the plant and thorough examination of the leaves help to identify pests in time and begin to fight them.

Treatment of green mass, in the presence of pests, is carried out with systemic anti-mite preparations (Aktellik, Fufanon, Fitoverm). “Akarin”, “Atkara”, “Karbofos” will help get rid of aphids.

Morning glory in combination with other plants

For vertical gardening in landscape design, morning glory is perfect. It harmonizes perfectly with other crops that are used for vertical gardening: campsis, wild grapes, ivy, hops. In autumn, morning glory flowers make a wonderful combination with green hop cones.

The plant combines with deciduous trees when the flowers bloom among the branches of an adult tree; this combination is especially decorative in the fall.

Morning glory in landscape design

The plant is used very widely in landscape design. Morning glory shades open gazebos and verandas from the sun. A vine planted near antique-style lanterns looks very decorative. It is common to plant the plant to decorate the walls of tall buildings and one-story garden buildings.

When using a crop to decorate a site, it is worth remembering that the first frosts in the fall will negatively affect the appearance of the plant. The culture is characterized by low frost resistance.

How to plant morning glory: video

Morning glory: photo


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