What is morning glory? Planting and care, photos, plant characteristics - let's look at all this, let's see what varieties you can choose for your garden. Some are so perfect that whenever I admire the graceful funnels of morning glory, the stone flower that Danila the master created comes to mind! The bindweed family, to which morning glory belongs, has about four thousand species. Among them there are annuals, perennials (about 500 species), shrubs, vines and even trees.
Morning glory Gypsy
What is morning glory
Morning glory is a decorative and unpretentious vine. Its other name is farbitis. Many people call this plant bindweed, which is sure to become a bright decoration for your gazebo, hedge, arch or pergola. It can reach five meters in length. In our gardens, we most often plant an annual or perennial vine, which is also called the flower of dawn. This poetic name was given to morning glory not in vain; its gramophone buds are one of the first to bloom, early in the morning, when other flowers have not yet awakened from sleep.
Depending on the variety, morning glory flowers can be double or regular, and the colors are very diverse - blue, violet, dark blue, burgundy, pink, white, red, soft lilac, bicolor. As mentioned above, morning glory is unpretentious, grows very quickly and entwines any support offered to it. Long flowering is another advantage of this flower; from the first days of summer until the onset of cold weather, it will decorate your garden.
Every day a new flower blooms. He does not live long, sometimes until noon, sometimes until evening. And long-term flowering is achieved due to the huge number of flowers and buds.
Morning Glory Carnival of Venice Growing morning glory is possible not only in open ground, but also in apartment conditions, especially on balconies and loggias, where it will feel great.
Growing morning glory on the balcony This plant is very often used in landscape design. Its bright beauty, excellent survival rate and rapid growth help in a short time to change for the better the appearance of a gazebo, veranda, fencing and other garden elements.
Morning glory windmill at the pergola Morning glory leaves are also remarkable and decorative - large, lobed, heart-shaped, rich dark green.
In landscape design, perennial morning glory is more often used, but annual varieties can also be found very often in summer cottages, in flower beds, flower beds, in flowerpots, and also in the form of living carpets. The plant prefers sunny places, good watering (especially in summer), does not like drafts, but still grows normally even in windy places.
Morning glory has an interesting feature: the buds open in the morning and close in the afternoon - this factor is due to the plant’s sensitivity to light. If the days are cloudy, then the flowers may not close at all, but remain open until dusk.
Favorite varieties of morning glory
Of the huge number of varieties of morning glory, approximately 25 species are used in culture. Let's look at some of them.
Morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
This is one of the most famous varieties. In favorable conditions, the length of shoots can reach 8 meters. The flowers are large, 5-7 cm long, and can be red, white, pink, blue, maroon, purple. The variety has both regular and double varieties. The most common varieties: Star of Yalta, Milky Way, Scarlett O'Hara.
Particularly interesting is the variety Ipomoea purpurea Paradise Stars - it is a profusely flowering plant, reaching three meters in height, with buds of different colors, heat-loving, light-loving, characterized by long flowering.
Purple morning glory, photo:
Ivy morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea)
The liana can grow up to 3 meters in length. The shape of the leaves is three-lobed, reminiscent of ivy, hence the name. The flowers are medium in size (about 5 cm in diameter), mostly blue, light blue, but also red and pink. It blooms in mid-summer (July) and continues to bloom until October.
Ipomoea ivy, photo:
Morning glory Nile (Ipomoea nil)
It also reaches three meters in length. Blooms from July to mid-autumn.
The flowers of this variety are amazingly decorative: contrasting two-color, with edging in different shades, with an unusual color (pink-brown, bright orange, creamy pink, golden variegated). The shape of the bud can be star-shaped, with terry edges, and with rounded petals.
Morning glory Nile, photo:
Morning glory flower diameter 13.5 cm 
Ipomoea terry Serenade Morning glory (Ipomoea pennata) or cypress vine
This morning glory is an unusual variety with delicate, finely dissected foliage and small star-shaped flowers. The branches of quamoclite reach five meters in length, flowering begins in July and continues until September. This is a very showy plant, with rich green foliage and bright red multiple flowers. Kvamoklit is unpretentious and grows quickly.
Kvamoklit, photo:
Blue morning glory (Ipomoea heavenly blue)
Sometimes this variety of morning glory is also called “Glorious Morning”. It pleases the eye with sky-blue flowers from mid-summer until the onset of the first frost. The flowers are large, can reach 10 cm in diameter, shoots grow up to 2 meters. This heat-loving plant, preferring sunlit areas, loves watering, but does not like waterlogging of the soil.
Blue morning glory, photo:
Moonflowering morning glory (Ipomoea noctiflora)
An amazing nocturnal flower that blooms in the dark and closes its buds in the morning. The shoots of this plant reach three meters in length, the flower itself is approximately 10 cm in diameter. It begins to bloom in mid-July and continues until October. The delicate almond aroma is another plus of this snow-white flower.
Morning glory moonflowering, photo:
Of course, there are a lot of varieties of morning glory, they are all beautiful in their own way, each of them has its own fans. Through the efforts of breeders, more and more new hybrids are appearing, striking in their beauty and individuality.
Morning glory Harlequin 
Morning glory Mauro 
Morning Glory Orange 
Morning Glory Neil Kaikio-zaki 
Morning Glory Blue Bliss Today, you can freely purchase a wide variety of morning glory varieties in seeds, and on the appropriate forums you can purchase cuttings or seedlings of the species that interests you.
Morning glory - planting and care in open ground
The most common method of propagation of this plant is self-seeding, in which morning glory sheds its seeds after they ripen. With the onset of spring, the sprouts of young morning glory hatch and stretch towards the sun. You can also buy seeds of the desired variety, and then, according to the sowing rules, germinate them and sow them in the ground. You can even simply sow the seeds directly into the soil, deepening them about 2-3 cm into the hole - there will be a positive result. The distance between the holes should be approximately 20 cm; 2 or 3 morning glory seeds are placed in each hole. You can safely begin this process in the second half of April (in Kuban) or May (central Russia).
Morning glory seeds of different varieties, photo:
You can take a more complicated route and germinate seeds into seedlings. To do this, they are germinated and planted in peat tablets or in containers with suitable soil.
When to plant morning glory seedlings?
In March, pre-soak the seed in warm water (for 24 hours), and then place it in tablets or in separate cups with soil. If some seeds have not swollen after such a daily bath, then you can use a needle and prick them, and then place them again in water for a similar period of time.
The seedling method is more suitable for cold regions, since in this case full-fledged young plants are planted in the soil, rather than tender seeds. Caring for seedlings is simple, seedlings can be observed already on the 10th day, watering is carried out as the soil dries (with lukewarm water). In the room where the seedlings are located, the air temperature should not be lower than +19°C.
In the last days of May or in the first week of June, already grown morning glory can be transferred to open ground.
How to plant morning glory?
Try to carefully remove plants from containers with a large lump of earth, as this crop does not respond well to replanting. The distance between the holes should also be approximately 20 cm. After planting, water the flowers with warm water; when they are actively growing, install a support near each plant (if you did not initially plant the morning glory near the support element).
Morning glory seedlings, photo:
Propagation of morning glory by cuttings
For certain varieties of morning glory, propagation by cuttings is recommended. In this case, the shoots are cut, fragments with two internodes are selected, and the cuttings are cut so that the lower place of the cut is located 1.5-2 cm below the node. After selection, the cuttings are placed in water. 5-7 days after the roots appear, they can be planted for permanent residence in open ground. Within a week, the cutting will be completely rooted in the ground.
How to care for morning glory?
As for care, it is quite simple and does not include any special requirements. Ipomoea is annual, as well as perennial, and grows well in any soil. The main thing is to provide it with regular, but not too abundant watering (so that the roots do not rot). This plant does not require additional feeding. However, if you really want to, then a complex mineral supplement can be added along with water during watering, during the period when morning glory is actively growing. To make everything look aesthetically pleasing, remove damaged or dried shoots. Periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds. The most important thing for morning glory is a reliable and strong support for growth and further weaving.
Photo of morning glory:
Such a different morning glory In open ground, as well as at home (on a balcony or loggia), there are no particular differences between the requirements for growing this flower. All actions are the same, water the plant and provide it with support, then the morning glory on the balcony will feel just as great as its relative on the summer cottage.
Pest Control
Morning glory in winter
With the onset of winter, perennial morning glory should be carefully dug up and moved into a large pot, which should be brought indoors or into the basement. In this case, the above-ground part of the plant is naturally cut off. If the winters in your region are not too severe, it can easily overwinter in the open ground.
Here, in principle, are all the nuances concerning this plant. With minimal labor costs, you can create unprecedented beauty in your summer cottage. You will definitely love morning glory! Planting and care, a photo of this flower and all the above information, I hope, will help you strengthen your choice of options for decorating your summer cottage, gazebo, fence or other garden element.
Morning glory ruby lights
Many gardeners decorate their gardens with vines. Very often such a vine is morning glory. Not many people know that this plant has many other names, for example, solar gramophone or morning dawn flower. Growing morning glory does not require painstaking care, which is why it is so popular.
Such a wonderful plant as morning glory will help make your garden plot amazing and unique. It is very important to choose a variety you like, then the flowers will certainly delight you.
In total, there are about 500 varieties of morning glory in nature, and breeders are not going to stop there. New varieties are being developed quite quickly.
Gardeners distinguish 2 most popular varieties:
- Heavenly Blue.
- Ipomoea purpurea terry.
In the first case, the plant has very large inflorescences, which are distinguished by the brightness of their blue tone. Some experts argue that the buds will be large only in the first year of planting, all subsequent years the flowers will become smaller, and this will continue until the inflorescences take on a standard size. At the same time, blue morning glory remains in great demand.
The second variety has very attractive flowers, distinguished by their splendor. Their velvety quality adds chic and luxury.
Urban establishments such as restaurants and cafeterias prefer morning glory. It has a white color palette and opens after sunset. This plant is ideal for establishments designed for evening activity. There is not always someone to care for flowers, so a flower that does not require painstaking care will be very useful. In addition, the flowers have a delicate aroma with notes of sweet almonds.
First of all, before planting a plant, you need to decide on a place where perennial morning glory will delight you with its flowering. Every gardener will try to create the most comfortable conditions for growth, only in this case the flowering will be excellent.
The ideal area for morning glory is the absence of wind and draft. Liana prefers silence and grace. Winds can cause significant damage, further entangling the delicate stems of the plant, or even tear them, and dishevel the flowers.
A large amount of sunlight will also damage the vine. Attentive gardeners have noticed that by the middle of the day, when the sun is at its peak, the flowers close their buds, so to speak, squint. The optimal place for planting is partial shade, where direct rays of the sun will not cause the buds to close.
The liana grows and develops quite quickly, so it is recommended to prepare a support for the plant in advance. Otherwise, it will cling to all possible surfaces.
The plant is not particularly picky about soil, but will still give preference to loose limestone soil. It loves moisture very much, so watering plays an important role.
If seeds are planted, it is best to carry out the procedure at the end of March, beginning of April. It is better to plant seedlings in late spring.
Preparing seeds for planting is a very simple procedure. They are soaked in clean water for 24 hours. After a while, all the seeds should be inspected; those that have not swelled are carefully pierced with a needle and lowered into water again. Such seeds are not bad, they just need help so that moisture enters the channels.
After swelling, the seeds are sown in previously prepared containers. The soil in them should be well moistened. The seeds are not buried in the soil, they are laid out on top, sprinkled with a little substrate.
Within 10 days the first shoots will be visible. At the same time, a certain temperature regime must be observed for seedlings to be successful. This mode is 18 degrees.
Note to the gardener! Before planting young seedlings in a permanent place, they should be moved a couple of times to a larger container. For seedlings, this procedure is very painful, so it must be carried out very carefully. The earthen ball must be completely preserved so as not to expose the root system to stress and damage. This soil will help the plant adapt to its new location.
To ensure that the plant takes root well in its new location and the roots do not get tangled, it is recommended to prepare a support for each seedling.
Perennial morning glory can be planted initially in open ground in a permanent place. Seeds are planted in the spring, in May. The procedure is the same as in the case of seedlings. From 2 to 3 seeds are placed in one hole.
Rules for planting seedlings:
- The main and mandatory rule for transplanting seedlings is to keep the earthen ball on the roots.
- The hole in which the plant will be placed must be sufficiently free.
- The distance between the holes is about 20 centimeters.
- Seedlings are planted in early June.
After planting, plant care will be minimal. In order for the seedlings to take root successfully, the soil is regularly moistened. But water stagnation should not be allowed, otherwise the root system will begin to rot and the plant will die. Adult morning glory is watered throughout the summer; in the fall, watering is reduced and watered only when the soil dries out.
Close attention is paid to loosening the soil so that all the useful components after fertilization and oxygen reach the flower. When loosening the soil, dig 2-3 centimeters deep. The more often you loosen the soil, the better the vine will grow.
Ipomoea annual is planted first in pots, and only then in open ground. Caring for seedlings is the same.
Caring for the vine is quite simple. The plant can independently find support for itself, for example, as a tree or fence. Many gardeners plant morning glory for the purpose of making a beautiful hedge. The liana will beautifully weave along a mesh or lattice, creating gazebos and various compositions with its weaving.
As a support, you can use both artificially created devices and those already available in the garden plot. Wooden pillars along which the vine will effectively entwine will harmonize perfectly. Geometric shapes made of metal or plastic or mesh will look unusual and beautiful.
It is young plants that are most susceptible to various pests. Therefore, you should definitely pay attention to the procedure for fighting enemies. The main and common pests can be considered:
- Aphid. Usually such an insect infects the plant en masse. Yellowish spots appear on the leaves. Aphids damage green tissues, sucking vital juices from them. While living on the plant, aphids leave a sticky trail that looks like dew drops. In such droplets a fungus (sooty) can form, which will certainly lead to the death of the plant. As soon as you notice even small manifestations of aphids, immediately treat the morning glory with insecticides.
- Spider mite. A fairly recognizable insect, it leaves behind thin cobwebs, and points of damage appear on the foliage. Dealing with such a problem is surprisingly simple. Ipomoea should be irrigated using a spray bottle with cold water. The procedure takes 3-4 days.
Annual morning glory will not cause any trouble; there is no need to prepare it for the winter. The part of the flower that is above the ground dies and the plant dies. The next year a new vine is planted.
The situation with perennial morning glory is different. The plant should be provided with favorable conditions for wintering and care. To do this, it is most often transferred to the greenhouse. The process itself is quite labor-intensive, due to the active weaving of the vine. To bring a flower indoors, you need to cut the shoots short.
Morning glory has a very fragile root system, so if you want to grow a perennial plant, plant it initially in a container so that you can transfer the flower in this container for the winter. Replanting a plant can destroy it.
If the vine is grown in a winter garden, there is no need to trim the shoots too short. In spring, the plant will sprout many new branches, which will be strewn with flowers.
In September, pre-winter care begins, that is, pruning diseased and damaged shoots. If pruning is carried out in the spring, only a few shoots are left. Spring pruning is necessary when replanting.
Collected seeds of annual morning glory can be stored for up to 3 years. Sowing for seedlings begins in the spring, starting in March. Place no more than 3 seeds in one container. There is no need to deepen the seeds, 3 centimeters is enough. Morning glories are picky about transplants.
As mentioned above, the seeds should be soaked in water, the temperature of which should be about 50°C. Another option for preparing seeds for sowing is to grind them with sand, or make small cuts. This approach will significantly speed up germination. If the seeds are not treated and they are planted at room temperature around 18°C, seedlings can be observed after 14 days.
When the seedlings grow to 5 centimeters, small sticks are introduced into the containers with them. Young plants are carefully tied up. If you do not carry out this procedure, by the time of planting the plants will become entangled with each other. Disconnecting will be very problematic and destructive.
In May, you can start planting morning glory in open ground. This is done after there is no risk of even the slightest frost. Seedlings must be replanted with a ball of earth.
The planting period depends on the type of flowers, for example, terry morning glory is recommended to be planted in late spring, but purple morning glory can be planted earlier. Initially, several seeds are placed in the holes, at a distance of 5-6 centimeters from each other. A little later, the plant should be thinned out so that there is at least 15-20 centimeters between the young flowers.
What are the benefits of morning glory in the garden?
Morning glory is a wonderful and magnificent vine that brings not only beauty to the garden, but also health benefits. The roots of the plant can be used as a medicinal drug. They are dug up in the last month of autumn. The material does not need to be dried, just wash it and dry it a little. Next, wrap it in paper and store it in a cool place. Other parts of the plant are not used in folk medicine.
Consuming this plant will benefit people suffering from stomach ulcers. The decoction can stop bleeding. Veterinarians also use morning glory root as a laxative for animals. Any use of the plant should be carried out after the instructions of a specialist in this field.
Morning glory is very often used in landscape design. Those who are interested in this topic understand what vertical gardening is. This allows you to create various gazebos and walls using climbing plants. Hanging morning glory baskets look great. With the help of this plant you can create a whole carpet, and all thanks to the abundant flowering and strong shoots.
Morning glory can not only decorate a wall, but also create a wonderful figure. Very often, owners of old and unattractive summer cottages plant blue morning glory on their territory. Its abundant flowering delights everyone who sees this beauty. A house entwined with such a vine resembles a house from a fairy tale.
Like any other flower, morning glory needs feeding. This is especially important during the period of replanting the plant in open ground. Apply fertilizer every 20 days.
The necessary fertilizers are purchased at flower shops. Ipomoea is suitable as a subcortex for both cacti and decorative flowers.
You cannot overdo it with fertilizing, especially if it contains nitrogen. This component promotes active growth, but only greenery will grow, and flowering will become scarce, or the flower will not bloom at all. The dosage is most often used as for indoor flowers.
Which are the largest representative of the bindweed family and can reach a height of three meters. Based on this, the gardener must take the choice of planting site as seriously as possible, since an adult plant is not able to tolerate replanting without negative consequences. In addition, morning glory requires support of proper quality, otherwise the plant may suffer during bad weather. However, the morning glory genus includes not only trees, but also shrubs and vines.
Farbitis plants have flowers of extraordinary beauty that will allow any housewife to be proud of her garden. However, if you decide to do it, you should take into account that some species of this plant are very poisonous, for example, vines. Nevertheless, today Farbitis is a very popular plant that experts use for landscaping various areas of the garden.
Currently, science knows more than five hundred species of this representative of the bindweed family. The most famous is the morning glory ruby fire, the name of which is often used to denote the general species category of the plant. Other popular morning glory varieties in gardening are:
Kvamoklit;
Purple;
Moonflower;
Raspberry whim;
Tricolor;
Koloniktion;
Terry tenderness;
Lollipop;
Morning glory red star;
Morning glory blue star and many others.
Morning glory ruby lights are often a decoration of balconies, various fences and gazebos. This magnificent plant today is extremely in demand among landscape designers and is used for various objects. Thus, with the help of morning glory, it is possible to darken an overly sunny veranda or terrace, as well as to hide your area from prying eyes with a mesh woven fence, on which morning glory will be free and which will reliably protect your life from prying eyes. Of course, farbitis is always a decoration of the place where it grows. The flowers and large green leaves, reminiscent of gramophones, look very attractive and have a calming, relaxing effect on the human psyche. The uniqueness of this plant is that each flower has only a few hours of flowering in the period from dawn to 2-3 o’clock in the afternoon, after which it finally closes. However, there are plant varieties that can bloom continuously all day even on cloudy days.
Growing morning glory
Morning glory ruby lights does not require any special skills from the gardener. The plant is traditionally grown from seedlings. In order to correctly determine the timing of planting seeds, it is necessary to take into account that experts recommend transplanting into the ground at a stable ambient temperature of at least 15°C. The best time for sowing seeds is considered to be the end of March - beginning of April. The seeds need to be soaked before planting. As a result of this procedure, they will swell, which will ensure their rapid germination. The growth of the flower will require several transplants of the plant into larger pots, which undoubtedly is a lot of stress for morning glory. Therefore, it is recommended to transplant the flower along with a significant part of the soil on the roots. Planting in open ground is possible no earlier than mid-June, which guarantees protection from frost. Farbitis feels comfortable only in well-loosened and nutritious soil. A full range of mineral fertilizers will help improve the condition of the soil. In addition, the plant needs a large amount of heat and light, so it is recommended to plant morning glory in a sunny place in the garden, which is well protected from gusts of wind.
Any owner of a summer cottage is proud of her flower garden. Not the last place in almost every flower garden is occupied by morning glory (farbitis).
This flower of extraordinary beauty fascinates and attracts with its appearance. But if you decide to start growing morning glory, you should remember that this vine is very poisonous (except for food species).
Today there are more than 500 species, many of which are used by landscape design specialists for landscaping various areas of the garden.
Popular types of morning glory
The Farbitis genus is considered the largest in the Bindweed family. In its natural habitat it can be found in the subtropics and tropics. The Farbitis genus includes both annual and perennial plants, as well as vines and even small trees. In addition, very important food crops grow in the genus - water spinach and sweet potato.
The most popular plant varieties in gardening– Kvamoklit, Blue Star, Purple, Raspberry Caprice, Moonflower, Coloniction, Tricolor, Terry Tenderness, Split Personality, Ruby Lights, Night, Ring, Scarlett O Hara, Lollipop, Serenade to the Sun, Pikoti, Grand, etc.
Uses of morning glory
Most often, this plant is used to decorate balconies, verandas, fences, small buildings and terraces, gazebos, as well as in vertical gardening of various objects.
Farbitis always decorates the place where it grows. Its gramophone-shaped flowers and large green leaves are pleasing to the eye and soothing. Each flower of this extraordinary plant lives only a few hours, opening with the first rays of the sun and closing at 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon. Only when the sun is hidden behind clouds throughout the day can the flower remain open all day.
With the help of morning glory, you can darken a veranda or sunny terrace, plant it on a mesh fence and block the area from prying eyes. To create a more favorable microclimate in the house, you can entwine morning glory around the southern windows. The rooms will immediately become a little cooler and the humidity will increase. Morning glory is sometimes used for...
Morning glory in the photo
How to grow morning glory?
To decorate your garden with this magnificent flower, you don’t need any special equipment or skills. As a rule, the plant is grown by seedlings. Speaking about when to plant morning glory, it should be taken into account that replanting can be done after the temperature becomes stable and above +15.
It is best to sow seeds for seedlings at the end of March.- early April. Before planting the seeds, they need to be soaked to swell. As the flower grows, it will need to be transplanted several times into larger pots. This is a lot of stress for the plant, so when replanting you should keep a small lump of earth on the roots. Planting in open ground can be done in mid-June, when the risk of frost has passed.
Plants in the ground
Morning glory loves nutritious soil, which should be well fertilized and loosened. Since the plant prefers a lot of light and warmth, it is necessary to choose a sunny place for it, well protected from strong gusts of wind.
Ipomoea must be planted on a plot at a certain distance from each other, usually 25-35 cm. It is best to alternate varieties with each other. It is necessary to grow vines by frequently watering and feeding the soil. For most plant varieties, it is necessary to build supports around which the stems will curl. This could be a stretched fishing line or wire, a fence or pergola, etc.
The flower is fed with a full range of mineral fertilizers. This must be done every 10-15 days after planting until the plant grows well. Morning glory is propagated by cuttings, cuttings or division of rhizomes.
Morning glory is an annual plant and blooms only until mid-September. It can reach a height of 3 meters, so it is necessary to take care of proper support in advance, since an adult plant will not tolerate transplantation.
For gardeners who use vertical gardening in landscape design, morning glory will come in handy.
This flowering vine thickly wraps around the supports and, even in the absence of buds, looks very decorative due to its dense foliage. Morning glory flowers look like delicate funnel-shaped gramophones, reminiscent of a symbiosis of nasturtium and fragrant tobacco.
This is an annual climbing plant. Its homeland is Mexico and tropical America. With quality care, growing morning glory is also possible in the middle zone.
What does a garden morning glory flower look like (with photo)
The plant reaches a length of up to 5 m. The leaves are ovate-heart-shaped, dull green, but beautiful, and the foliage is dense.
As you can see in the photo, morning glory flowers are funnel-shaped, large (up to 10 cm) and picturesquely painted:
The corolla at the base is yellow-white, and the limb is initially pinkish and then sky blue.
Each flower opens only in the first half of the day - until 12-13 o'clock. But in cloudy weather the flowers remain open throughout the day. Flowering is abundant and, due to the large number of flowers, lasts for a long time.
Look what the red-blue morning glory looks like in these photos:
Faded flowers curl into a tube, which is no longer blue, but crimson. Therefore, the species name of morning glory is red-blue. And this is not the only known species. There are at least two more of them, with pubescent leaves.
Morning glory "Lyra"- with pubescent young shoots and delicate pubescence of leaves on the underside.
The flowers are beautiful - dark purple to purple. It grows well in the south, but does not bloom in the northern regions.
Ipomoea purpurea is not so heat-loving. She is native to Central and South America. Also an annual climbing plant up to 3 m long.
Shoots and leaves are pubescent. The flowers are purple-red, but there are varieties and varieties of different colors.
For example, the “Gubera” variety has a variegated corolla and a white limb.
These photos show the morning glory "Lyra" and "Gubera", the description of which is given above:
The best modern morning glory varieties:
"Ruby Carpet"- with original deep-cut leaves and bright red flowers
"Grandee" with deep purple color of large flowers
"Blue Star" with blue stripes and rays on snow-white flowers
"Carnivals of Venice"- a mixture of bright flowers with variegated pink and purple stripes
As a vine, morning glory is extremely popular. A disadvantage that has turned into an advantage is its annual nature. But as a result, every year you can sow morning glory in different places.
It can be a test indicator of the advisability of planting a perennial vine in this place. In terms of the duration of flowering and its airiness, it surpasses other vines. Blooms from July until frost.
Growing morning glory: planting and care
When choosing a place for morning glory (wall, support, gazebo, balcony, etc.), preference should be given to southern, eastern and western exposures; northern ones, even in the south, are less suitable.
The place should be open, clearly visible, not shaded by anything.
When growing morning glory, do not forget that these flowers love watering. It should be plentiful and frequent, especially during the hot period. But you need to water in the afternoon, towards evening.
The soil needs to be nutritious, but it is indifferent to fertilizing with fertilizers, and sometimes they are even harmful, especially nitrogen ones. The plant then begins to “rage” in growth, but does not bloom.
Fertilizers are useful during planting. If you grow morning glory through seedlings, then the soil is taken in the ratio: turf soil, humus, sand - 0.5: 1: 0.5 and for every 10 kg of the mixture add 20 g of potassium salt and superphosphate. Fertilizers promote intense coloration of flowers, in particular blue color.
Agricultural techniques for caring for morning glory flowers are shown in these photos:
Morning glory propagates by seeds. They are numerous, since the attractive flowers are readily visited by bees and fertilization occurs without difficulty. But there is no time left for the seeds to ripen.
Already at the end of September-October, even in the south, frosts are possible, which destroy immature seeds. Neither ripening seeds on uprooted plants nor covering the vines helps.
Ripened, full-fledged seeds are obtained only from the first flowers. There are very few of them, despite abundant flowering and high-quality fertilization. Practical experience suggested the right decision.
- Firstly, to grow morning glory, you need to sow the seeds very early - in late March - early April.
- Secondly, sow in pots or other containers, moistening the substrate abundantly and covering with glass. Do not remove it until shoots appear. Thirdly, do not pick the seedlings, but leave them in the same container
In this case, morning glory will begin to bloom a month or more earlier than when sown in the ground or picked. When the feeding area is reduced (dense planting), morning glory produces few side shoots, but many flowers on the main one, as if compensating for the lack of abundant green mass.
It is advisable to grow blue morning glory through seedlings even in the south. Seedlings must be replanted in a clump; morning glory does not like damage to the root system.
The use of morning glory in garden design
The use of morning glory in garden design is the widest. This is a plant of arbors, trellises, fences, pillars, large trees. Morning glory can be planted with wild grapes, and then the dense wall of it is enlivened with delicate flowers. There are about a hundred of them for every square meter!
When wrapping around supports, one should take into account the following biological feature of morning glory: the ends of its shoots grow, making circular movements counterclockwise, forming a spiral. They themselves look for support, describing larger and larger circles.
The rotation speed depends on the weather. Hot weather reduces growth rate. One revolution is usually completed in 24 hours. Having touched the support, the young shoot embraces it and grows like a screw.
