Care of the climbing plant Ipomoea purpurea or Common morning-glory |
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The genus Ipomoea, family Convolvulaceae, comprises 300 species of climbing plants native to America and Africa. Some species are: Ipomoea purpurea, Ipomoea lobata, Ipomoea indica, Ipomoea cairica, Ipomaea alba, Ipomoea tricolor, Ipomoea acuminata, Ipomoea hederacea, Ipomoea coccinea. Common names: Common morning-glory, Purple morning glory, Tall morning-glory. This species is native to Mexico and Central America. They are climbing plants with thin stems and fast growth that reach 5 meters (16.4 feet) in length. The leaves are evergreen in warm climates and are heart-shaped or trilobed. The showy 6 cm (2.36") diameter funnel-shaped flowers can be blue, purple or fuchsia pink with a white center; they open with the sun and close at sunset. They can bloom from early summer to mid-fall. The seeds are toxic by ingestion. They are used as climbers with supports to cover fences, walls and pergolas. They are ideal for low maintenance gardens and potted patios and decks. Ipomoea purpurea needs full sun or semi-shade exposure and warm weather. They do not resist frost. They prefer a soil rich in organic matter and well drained but they adapt to poorer but permeable soils. Water frequently in spring and summer so that the substrate does not dry out completely; they resist a few days of drought. Fertilize with compost in early spring. Prune in spring to control growth and maintain a compact appearance. Sometimes they can be attacked by aphids, caterpillars and fungi (Rust). They propagate from seeds sown directly in their final location or by cuttings in summer. |
Images of the climbing plant Ipomoea purpurea or Common morning-glory |
 Ipomoea purpurea  Ipomoea purpurea |