The morning glory plant (Ipomoea) is a large genus of representatives of the Bindweed family. It includes about 500 different species, most of which live in the tropics or subtropics. Ipomoea can be both large trees or bushes, and graceful vines - perennial or annual. Due to the high decorativeness of such vines, they are often used to decorate gardens or balconies. Among the morning glories, there are also edible species: they include sweet potatoes and aquatic spinach.
The name of the morning glory is translated as "like a worm". It refers to the long root of perennial plant species or the twisting stems of the lianas. Other names for garden morning glories include "morning dawn flower", "morning splendor" and "morning face". All of them are associated with the early timing of the opening of the flowers of the plant. This feature allows the morning glory to be used to create a vibrant flower clock.
Description of morning glory
Most often grown in gardens, morning glory is a vine with heart-shaped green leaves. The length of its shoots can reach 5 m. The flowers are in the form of gramophones and are located on long pedicels that grow from the leaf sinuses. They have a delicate aroma, open early in the morning and turn in the direction of the sun. The lifespan of each flower is short enough. On a clear day, they close by noon, but in cloudy weather they can hold out until the evening.
The shape of flowers can be simple or double, and the palette of their colors includes various tones of white, blue, pink and purple, a little less often - red. With early sowing, flowering begins in June-July and continues until autumn frosts.
Under natural conditions, such vines can exist as perennials, but in mid-latitudes they are usually grown as annuals. Due to their fast growth rates, good foliage and spectacular flowering, they are often used for vertical gardening of fences or gazebos.
Growing morning glory from seeds
Sowing rules
The easiest way to propagate morning glory is with seeds. They are quite large in size and retain high germination for about 3-4 years. The growth rate of young plants is high enough, so it is not recommended to keep the seedlings at home for a long time. As a rule, seeds are sown for seedlings only in May. To accelerate germination, you can scarify the seed coat, but more often they are simply kept in warm water for 12 to 24 hours. During this time, the seeds have time to swell. Only the shells of non-swollen seeds are scarified - they can also remain viable.
The substrates for planting different types of morning glory can vary significantly.African varieties involve the use of a succulent potting mix to which fine expanded clay has been added. The more common American species thrive in fairly nutritious and light soil. It can include a double portion of leafy soil, peat, vermiculite or perlite, coconut fiber and some fine expanded clay.
For sowing, use medium-sized cups filled with soil. Planting depth should not exceed 2 cm. You can place 2-3 seeds in each, and cover with a bag on top. As the soil dries up, the crops are watered and ventilated daily. In a warm and bright room, subject to all conditions, the first shoots may appear in a few days, but on average it takes 1-2 weeks for seeds to germinate.
It is possible to sow morning glory seeds directly into the ground, preparing a well-dug garden for them, but this can be done when the threat of frost has completely passed. Such seedlings will be more seasoned, but will bloom a little later. Usually, this planting method is used for early flowering species - in this case, their seeds have time to ripen before frost.
Ipomoea seedlings
As soon as the seedlings reach a height of about 15 cm and a weaving shoot is formed in the vine seedlings, it must be fixed on a support. It can be made from any stick or string. As the seedlings grow, if necessary, you can transfer into a larger container, but this should be done very carefully, trying not to damage the roots or shoots of the plant. To less injure seedlings when transferred to the ground, peat cups can be used.
Long shoots of morning glory can be pinched. This stimulates the growth of the lateral branches of the vine.
Planting morning glory in open ground
What time to plant
Ipomoea seedlings are transplanted into open ground after warm weather is finally established. Usually, planting is carried out at the very end of spring or early summer.
Seedling planting rules
A bright area protected from strong winds is suitable for growing morning glories. In addition, the vines need to provide support - a fence, lattice or mesh, along which their shoots can trail. The soil in the morning glory bed must be well drained. A slightly acidic or neutral soil is best suited for flowers. The distance between the bushes should be approximately 20 cm.
Ipomoea can also be grown at home, for example, on the balcony. The main requirement for flowers is a sufficient amount of light. In this case, the plants are planted in containers with a volume of 5 to 15 liters, in each of which 1 to 3 plants are placed. Potted morning glory begins to bloom earlier than in the ground. But such plantings should be kept away from children or pets - most species of morning glory contain toxic substances, and you cannot eat any parts of such plants.
Caring for morning glory in the garden
Morning glory is a flower that loves light and warmth. It can be grown in vases or hanging special containers on the balcony, hedges are also possible. On flower beds and lawns, such flowers also look original.
The plant should receive sunlight for several hours a day. Perennial flower varieties develop mainly in the spring and summer. The part of the plant that is above the ground can completely disappear in the very cold season, but will revive again in the spring. Frosts are not terrible for morning glories; it can safely tolerate temperatures slightly below zero. This plant prefers well-drained, fertilized and soft soil. This mixture is very good in this case: four parts of peat, the same amount of garden soil, two parts of sand and one part of humus (organic matter).
Ipomoea grows very quickly. In a short time, it takes on a rounded shrub shape with sufficient height and width. When caring for morning glory in the garden, it is good to use a net or frame trellis. This will give the rapidly growing climbing bush an impressive decorative shape.This method can be used to decorate a picturesque hedge or to create a gazebo in the garden.
Watering
Ipomoea need regular, but not too abundant watering. Stagnation of moisture in the soil should not be allowed. The vegetation rest at the morning glory takes a long time. During this period, you do not need to over-water the flower. When the plant is blooming it is also not worth using a lot of water. Leave the soil dry for several days, from watering to watering. In this regard, 1 liter of water should be poured 1-2 times a week on the soil mixture under the plant. The flower will especially need moisture during periods of summer heat.
Top dressing
It is possible to feed the plantings of morning glory during the entire period of growth, about once every 2-3 weeks, but it is advised to apply nitrogen fertilizers only at the very beginning of the growing season of vines. Otherwise, all the growth energy of the flower will be spent on the development of foliage. For a flower, formulations for indoor plants or cacti in standard concentration are suitable.
Pruning
It is not necessary to prune the morning glory, most often the removal of shoots is carried out for sanitary purposes, cutting off diseased or damaged branches. At the same time, the correct pinching will help to form a larger number of shoots on one plant.
Perennial Ipomoea species are recommended to be cut at the beginning of autumn. In the spring, planting is thinned out a little, leaving about 3 shoots on each bush.
Morning glory after flowering
Seed collection
Ipomoea seeds are tied in capsules that form in place of flowers. As they mature, they turn brownish in color and dry out. Usually, it takes about a month from flowering to full maturation of the capsule. One box can form from 1 to 6 seeds. Their shape and color may differ depending on the type and variety of vines.
Morning glory is closely related to the well-known weeds - field bindweed and fence calistegia. All these plants belong to the same family. Cultivated flower species are considered less aggressive, but nevertheless, the spread of morning glory seeds throughout the site must also be monitored.
For collection, it is recommended to choose seeds from the 2nd and 3rd buds of morning glory. The seeds should be dried and then stored in paper bags, after having signed the name of the variety on them. Seed germination lasts for 4 years. Subject to all storage conditions, this period can last much longer.
Wintering
Most species of morning glory are capable of withstanding short-term cold snaps up to 4 degrees Celsius, but the average temperature threshold for them is 10 degrees. Because of this feature, thermophilic vines cannot overwinter in the middle lane. In the fall, after the shoots wither, they are cut off, and the garden bed where they grew is carefully dug up. In spring, new specimens of morning glory can be re-grown from harvested seeds. At the same time, it is possible that last year's plantings had time to self-seeding, and their seedlings will appear in the same place without outside help.
Reproduction of morning glory
Many species of morning glory reproduce well and quickly by cuttings, but due to the simplicity of seed propagation for annual vines, this method is rarely used.
Most often, cuttings are practiced to obtain new Ipomoea sweet potato bushes. Shoots about 17 cm long are used as cuttings. They must have at least a couple of internodes. The lower cut is made at an angle at one of the nodes, retreating down by about 1.5 cm. The foliage next to the cut must be removed, and then put the cuttings in water. Roots on them will begin to appear within a few days, after which such vines should be immediately planted in the ground. A warm place is suitable for rooting. This process usually takes only about a week.
The first half of spring is best suited for the propagation of young green shoots. Partially woody or green sections can be rooted in summer.
Diseases and pests
Major diseases
Morning glory can be affected by viral or fungal diseases, as well as types of rot.
Fungal diseases are most often caused by permanent stagnation of moisture in the soil.Decaying areas of the bush should be removed, and the plants themselves should be treated with a fungicide. If the roots of the plant or its trunk are affected by rot, it will no longer be possible to save such plantings. They will have to be removed from the garden and destroyed. The same applies to plants affected by viral infections.
Household or greenhouse plants may suffer from white edema. This disease is not considered contagious. Usually bushes growing in conditions of low temperature and too high humidity of air and soil suffer from it. The foliage of such specimens is covered with light blisters, which gradually begin to turn brown. Over time, such plates turn yellow and fly around from the bush. To prevent the appearance of such a disease, it is enough to comply with the conditions for growing morning glories.
Pests
The main danger for planting is aphids and spider mites. Small lesions can be eliminated with folk remedies. Treatment with soapy water will help from aphids, and spider mites can be washed off with cold water. If there are too many pests, a suitable insecticide is used to treat the plantings.
Types and varieties of morning glory with photos and names
Of the several hundred varieties of morning glory, only about 25 species are used in gardening. Among the most popular and common:
Ipomoea cairica (Ipomoea cairica)
This liana lives in Asia, but is also found in Australia. Ipomoea cairica forms 5-meter shoots. Its numerous flowers are blue in color. During the flowering period, the liana is almost completely covered with them. The foliage has a carved structure.
Purple morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
Widespread annual. Ipomoea purpurea is native to the American tropics. It forms pubescent shoots up to 8 m in length. At the same time, the heart-shaped foliage does not have pubescence. The sizes of gramophone flowers reach up to 7 cm. Their color includes shades of purple, blue, pink, purple, white and red. The center of the corolla is always white. The species has varieties with variegated flowers, there are also double forms. Among the main varieties:
- Harlequin - a variety of white flowers with bright touches of pink or purple flowers. Also known as the Carnival of Venice.
- Caprice - light blue flowers with a darker "star".
- Milky Way - white flowers with a pronounced purple or blue "asterisk".
- Night - with deep purple flowers.
In addition, there are many varieties on sale with flowers of different colors and shapes.
Ipomoea nil
This type of morning glory resembles purple outwardly - sometimes it is quite difficult to distinguish them. The main differences are in shorter (up to 3 m) shoots, early buds and larger (up to 10 cm) flowers. Their color includes shades of pink, red, blue and purple. Many varieties have an elegant white border. Flowering lasts from mid-summer to autumn, but is considered less abundant than other species. Boxes with seeds of such morning glory do not droop as they ripen.
Latin America is considered the birthplace of Ipomoea nil, but later this vine was brought from there to Asian countries. Today it is this type of flower that can most often be found under the Japanese name "asagao". Ipomoea Nile is especially widespread in the culture of this country, and during this time local breeders have obtained on its basis many especially spectacular varieties with different foliage shapes and flower colors. Among them:
- Kikyo - variety mixture with five-pointed flowers. Occurs under the name "Marzipan Stars".
- Pikoti - semi-double flowers of red or blue-blue color with a white border.
- Serenade - a hybrid variety with lilac or crimson flowers with wavy, split edges of the petals. Sometimes considered a variety of purple morning glory.
- Chocolate - the unusual color of the flower includes shades of beige and pink. The rim size reaches 15 cm.
Ipomoea tricolor (Ipomoea tricolor)
Or red-blue morning glory (Ipomoea rubro-caerulea).Another American species grown as an annual. Ipomoea tricolor has strong, bare stems that can be up to 4 m long. The thin, glossy foliage has a slightly wrinkled surface. The name of the species is associated with the peculiarity of its large funnel-shaped flowers. Their color gradually changes as the bud develops. In the process of growth, it has a pink color, by the opening of the flower, the color of most varieties changes to blue, and by fading it again becomes purple. At the same time, the gramophone tube is painted white, and at the base it often has a yellow speck.
This species is distinguished by a high content of toxic substances, but their properties make it possible to use parts of the flower in medicine.
Flowering of this morning glory begins in June and lasts until frost. The number of its varieties is significantly inferior in quantity to purple morning glory. Among the main ones:
- Flying saucer - blue-blue flowers with white stripes.
- Sky blue - light blue gramophones.
- Blue Star - with bluish blue flowers.
- Scarlet O'Hara - a red-pink gramophone with a white-yellow center. A species of Ipomoea Nile with a similar name has completely red flowers.
Ipomoea ivy (Ipomoea hederacea)
The species lives in the American tropics. Ipomoea hederacea has shoots up to 3 m long. Its foliage is distinguished by a lobed shape, reminiscent of ivy leaf blades. The size of the funnel-shaped flowers reaches 5 cm. Their most common color is blue, but there are varieties of pink, red or burgundy shades, as well as decorated with a white border. On a peduncle there can be up to 3 flowers. Flowering lasts from mid-summer to mid-autumn. The variety "Roman Candy" has an interesting color of foliage - its leaf blades have a greenish-white pattern, and the flowers are cherry-colored. This morning glory can be grown as an ampelous plant.
Moonflower morning glory (Ipomoea noctiflora)
Or iopmeya is white. The length of the shoots of this species reaches 6 m. Ipomoea noctiflora (alba) is distinguished by large foliage and fragrant snow-white flowers. Unlike most species of morning glory, its buds do not bloom in the early morning, but closer to night, withering by dawn. The only exceptions are cloudy days - only in this case it will be possible to admire the flowers of such a morning glory in the daytime. Flowering of this species begins in the second half of summer and lasts until October.
Ipomoea quamoclit
America or India is considered the birthplace of this unusual species. Ipomoea quamoclit has feathery foliage and small bright flowers in the form of five-pointed stars in white, pink or red. The number of buds on such a vine is not so numerous, but thanks to the delicate leaves and bright blotches of flowers, it looks very original. The main subspecies:
- Fiery red - with bright red flowers. It has an ivy-like shape with larger flowers.
- Pinnate - with white or pink flowers.
- Slaughter - hybrid form with red flowers.
Together with these types of morning glory in horticulture, the following are also found:
- Sweet potato - usually grown as a food crop, but also found in floriculture. Propagated by tubers, like potatoes, but more often by cuttings. Valued for foliage of different shades, flowers do not appear in all varieties.
- Brazilian - a low annual with pubescent foliage and light purple flowers.
- Paddle (she is "mine lobata", "Spanish flag" or lobed kvamoklite) - Latin American type of morning glory with graceful lobed foliage and brushes of small tubular flowers of transitional white-yellow-red color.
- Moorish Is a perennial species with lobed leaves and pink flowers.
- Fingered - has finger-dissected leaves and pink-lilac flowers with a dark spot in the center of the funnel.
