Moonvine Ipomoea alba
Other 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
-
Moonflower is a cold-tender, flowering, perennial vine, usually grown as an annual in North Carolina, and gets its name from its nocturnal white blooms. The twining vine can reach a mature length of 30 feet under optimal conditions, although 15 feet is more typical, and needs a support structure like a fence, arbor, or trellis to grow. The plant has 8 inch, heart-shaped leaves and large white flowers that open at night and provide a sweet fragrance. Plant it in a cottage, patio or nighttime garden where you can fully enjoy the beauty and scent of the showy white flowers while you watch the aerial show of moths as they pollinate the blooms. If you would like to overwinter the plant, grow it outdoors in large containers, then bring it indoors as the temperatures drop. The genus name comes from two Greek words: ips meaning "worm" and homoios meaning "resembling" referring to the sprawling roots or to the worm-like twining habit. The species name means white referring to the flowers.
To propagate from seed, start 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost by soaking the seeds overnight in warm water or nick them with a file to break the seed coat. Stem cuttings can also be made as well as propagation from the small tubers that grow on the stems. The tubers can also be stored over winter in a slightly damp medium and replanted in the late spring. Plant in fertile, well-drained, moist soil in full sun. This plant will not thrive in shade. These vines are cold and frost-sensitive and prefer moist, well-drained soil. The vines will grow slowly until hot weather when their growth rate becomes more rapid. Flowering appears later in the growth cycle.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
No serious diseases or insect pests.
- 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
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Florida, Mexico, Central and South America
- Distribution:
- Introduced into Texas and Oklahoma, sections of Africa and southeast Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- Nectar from flowers attracts night-flying moths. 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. - 30 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- 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
-
-
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:
- Six inch large, fragrant 5-lobed, fused-petaled white flowers with a light green star center that open late afternoon and close at dawn from mid-summer into fall.
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- 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 to 8 inches long with 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. Twining stems produce a milky juice when cut and are somewhat prickly
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Patio
- Rock Wall
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses