Ipomoea purpurea
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- eye-poh-MEE-a pur-PUR-ee-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
A naturalized weed in cultivated and fallow fields; sometimes sold as I. nil; self-seeds and can become invasive; many improved cultivars are available; seeds should be scarified and soaked in water for 12-24 hours to aid germination; prefers a well-drained, poor, sandy soil but is tolerant of most soil conditions.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
- 'Darling'
- 'Giant Cornell'
- 'Kermesiana'
- 'Madame Ann'
- 'Pearly Gates'
- 'Rosea'
- 'Scarlett'
- 'Tricolor'
- 'Violacea'
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Darling', 'Giant Cornell', 'Kermesiana', 'Madame Ann', 'Pearly Gates', 'Rosea', 'Scarlett', 'Tricolor', 'Violacea'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Alba'
- 'Darling'
- 'Giant Cornell'
- 'Kermesiana'
- 'Madame Ann'
- 'Pearly Gates'
- 'Rosea'
- 'Scarlett'
- 'Tricolor'
- 'Violacea'
- 'Alba'
- 'Alba', 'Darling', 'Giant Cornell', 'Kermesiana', 'Madame Ann', 'Pearly Gates', 'Rosea', 'Scarlett', 'Tricolor', 'Violacea'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ipomoea
- Species:
- purpurea
- Family:
- Convolvulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical & Subtropical America
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Ipomea support the following specialized bees: Melitoma taurea and Cemolobus ipomoeae.
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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-
Fruit:
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Globoid seed capsule 1/3" wide dark wedge-shaped seeds.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 2" showy flowers (white, pink, crimson, purple, blue) open in the morning and last a few hours; flowers mid-summer to fall
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Medium green heart-shaped leaves with a pointed top smooth margins, long petioles
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Tetrate, brown-purple hairy stems
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Vertical Spaces
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
