Evolvulus alsinoides
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ee-VOL-vyu-lus al-si-NOY-deez
- Description
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The Slender Dwarf Morning Glory is a flowering tropical, herbaceous perennial with showy blue flowers and thin, prostrate to erect, stems that can be woody. It is a small, dwarf, version of morning glory reaching a height of 1 foot, but usually less. The plant tends to spread horizontally on the ground, is dusty green in color with a wooly feel and can be weedy. The genus name comes from the Latin evolvo, meaning to unroll. The species name means resembling a species of the genus Alsine.
The Slender Dwarf Morning Glory is native to the southern and southwestern United States, including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, and Florida. It is often found in coastal hammocks, coastal rock barrens, and disturbed areas.
Slender Dwarf Morning Glory has many branching stems that can become tangled and messy, resembling a bird's nest with dense, long, silver hairs all over.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Evolvulus
- Species:
- alsinoides
- Family:
- Convolvulaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The plant has been used as animal feed and as a medicine.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical South America, Africa, Southeast Asia.
- Distribution:
- Some southern United States.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Erect
- Prostrate
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Globose, 4-valved, glabrous capsules, with 1 to 4 tan or brown ovoid seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Wheel
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Blooms are usually blue, although sometimes white and last from early spring to the fall. The flowers are wheel-shaped with rounded, sometimes cleft petals, to 1/3 of an inch wide, filaments are 2 to 3 times as long as the anthers, borne on slender, delicate pedicels arising from the leaf axils.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Ovate to elliptic leaves with obtuse, acute or acuminate tips, margins entire, alternate, pubescent to wooly, 1/3 to 3/4 inches long.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Slender, hairy stems that spread horizontally.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Hanging Baskets
- Rock Wall
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Problems:
- Weedy
