Ipomoea alba
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Calonyction aculeatum
- Ipomoea bona-nox
- Phonetic Spelling
- eye-poh-MEE-ah AL-ba
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Moonflowers is a tender perennial vine grown as an annual in NC, and gets its name from its nocturnal blooms. It needs a support structure like a fence, arbor, or trellis to grow. Has 8 in. heart-shaped leaves and large white flowers that open at night and provide a sweet fragrance. Plant it in a cottage, patio nighttime garden where you can fully enjoy the beauty and scent of the showy white flowers while you watch the aerial show of bats as they pollinate the blooms. If you would like to overwinter the plant, then grow it in large containers bring it indoors over the winter.
To propagate start 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost by soaking seeds overnight in warm water or nick with a file to break seed coat. Vines are cold and frost-sensitive and prefers moist, well-drained soil. Stem cuttings can also be made. The vines will grow slowly until hot weather when their growth rate is rapid.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Belle de Nuit'
- 'Giant White'
- 'Belle de Nuit'
- 'Belle de Nuit', 'Giant White'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Belle de Nuit'
- 'Giant White'
- 'Belle de Nuit'
- 'Belle de Nuit', 'Giant White'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ipomoea
- Species:
- alba
- Family:
- Convolvulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- FL, Mexico, Central and South America
- Wildlife Value:
- Nectar from flowers attracts moths and bees. Members of the genus Ipomea support the following specialized bees: Melitoma taurea and Cemolobus ipomoeae.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Climbing Method:
- Scrambler
- Twining
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Dense
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small capsule with acuminate (pointed) tip 1" long split open and contain 4 smooth white seeds
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- 6" large, fragrant 5 lobed, fused-petaled white flowers with a light green star center open late afternoon and close at dawn from mid-summer into fall.
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-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Deep green alternate heart-shaped to rounded-ovate 4"-8" long entire or slightly lobed margins. Petioles are thick and even sometimes fleshy.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are hairless but some of the climbing stems have projections.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Patio
- Rock Wall
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
