Morning glory family
Convolvulaceae
Ip-po-mee'a. Mostly twining vines, many of the 500 species of tropical origin and a few of garden importance, including the Common Morning Glory.
Description
Leaves alternate, generally stalked, simple, or compound, with several leaflets. Flowers large and showy, usually solitary or a few in leaf axils. Calyx lobed or parted. Corolla chiefly funnel-shaped (rarely, bell-shaped), more or less 5-pointed or 5-angled at the top. Stigma club-shaped or 2-lobed.
How to Grow
Sow seeds in any garden soil. To hasten germination, notch these very hard seeds or soak them in tepid water for 8 hours. Or spread seeds on or just under wet sand in a closed bell jar or empty aquarium kept at about 80°F (26.5°C) with an electric bulb. These plants prefer warm weather.
Ipomoea alba
Moon-Flower
. Milky-juiced vine, 8-10 ft. (2.4-3.0 m) long, with somewhat prickly stems. Flowers white, sometimes green-banded, fragrant, 5-6 in. (12.5-15.0 cm) wide. Opens at night. Tropical America and in s. Fla. Tender perennial grown as a tender annual.
Ipomoea coccinea
Star Ipomoea
. To 10 ft. (3 m) long. Flowers 1 in. (4 cm) long, corolla scarlet with yellow throat. Tropical America; naturalized in the southern states. Also sold as
Quamoclit coccinea
. Tender annual.
Ipomoea - multifida
Cardinal Climber
. 8-10 ft. (2.4-3.0 m) long. Flowers to 2 in. (5 cm) long, corolla crimson or scarlet, with a white to cream-colored eye. Hybrid derived from
I. coccinea
and
I. Quamoclit
. Tender annual.
Ipomoea Nil
Morning Glory
. To 10 ft. (3 m) long. Flowers 4 in. (10 cm) wide, purple, blue, red, or pink, often double, corolla fluted or fringed. Tropical America. Also sold as
I. imperialis
, the Imperial Japanese Morning Glory, with flowers that are large, bright-colored, and variously striped or margined. Roots can be dug up in fall and stored. Tender perennial grown as a tender annual.
Ipomoea purpurea
Common Morning Glory
. To 10 ft. (3 m) long. Flowers nearly 3-5 in. (7.5-12.5 cm) long, purple, pink, or blue, the tube paler. Tropical America. Cultivar 'Alba' has white flowers; 'Huberi' has silver-white leaf markings; 'Violacea' has double violet-purple flowers. Hardy annual.
Ipomoea Quamoclit
Cypress-Vine
. To 20 ft. (6 m) long. Flowers scarlet, funnel-shaped, 5-lobed, to 1 in. (4 cm) long. Tropical America, naturalized in the South and planted in Calif. Also sold as
Quamoclit pennata
. Tender annual.
Ipomoea tricolor
Morning Glory
. To 10 ft. (3 m) long. Flowers purplish-blue, 4-5 in. (10-12.5 cm) long, corolla with white tube and red tip before opening. Cultivars with flowers white, lavender, and various shades of blue. Tropical America. Tender perennial grown as a tender annual.