Flying Saucers Ipomoea tricolor

In our climate, the morning glory is a multi-stemmed ornamental annual vine that has summer-blooming trumpet-shaped flowers of either purple, pink, blue, or white. The leaves are green, pubescent, and heart-shaped. The vine is fast-growing and has twining soft stems. The plant may be used as groundcover, container plant, or grown on a trellis or arbor. The flowers open in the morning and then fade and drop by evening. The vine grows up to 8 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide.

The morning glory plant is a perennial in its native Mexico. In some areas of the United States, this plant is considered a noxious weed. 

The genus name, Ipomoea, is derived from two Greek words. Ips means "worm," and homoios means "resembling." This likely refers to the worm-like twining habit of the plant. The specific epithet, tricolor, means" having three colors." The tricolor refers to the specific flower color of blue, pink, purple, or white, the pale yellow center, and the streaks of white that form a star shape along the petals.

The morning glory will thrive best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It will perform well in poor soil with little or no fertilizer  It does not tolerate standing water, but it is tolerant to heat and urban conditions. This vine grows very rapidly but will require support. To plant from seed, nick the hard seed coat and soak overnight before planting. It is self-seeding and tends to become weedy and can be troublesome in agriculture. If necessary, the plant may be controlled by preemergent herbicides. The morning glory attracts butterflies and hummingbirds; however, it is said to be deer resistant.

This plant is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Ingestion of the seeds of this plant can cause hallucinations. It is also recommended to wear protective gloves when handling the morning glory.

This twining ornamental vine is best planted with a supportive structure such as an arbor, pergola, or trellis. It may be planted as a ground cover or used in containers and hanging baskets. It is also attractive grown along fences or walls.

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom:  Summer and Fall       Foliage:  Spring, Summer, and Fall

Quick ID Hints:

• fast-growing twining annual vine, 8 to 10 feet tall, and 3 to 6 feet wide
• green, heart-shaped leaves
• purple, pink, blue, or white trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in the morning and then fade
• dry dehiscent capsule fruit

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The morning glory has no serious insect or disease problems. Monitor for aphids, spider mites, leaf miners, and caterpillars.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

More information on Ipomoea.