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| Photo Credit: Michael Stephens |
| The striking Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’ is the most popular variety of morning glory – and my personal favorite. |
A poem about morning glories…
Trumpet-shaped flowers, heart-shaped leaves,
They’re quick to grow – as easy as you please.
But don’t ask a farmer if he likes this plant.
He’ll say it’s a nuisance and go on a rant. Okay, so it’s not my best poem. But it makes a valid point about morning glories (Ipomoea sp.): People either love ’em or hate ’em! As the first lines of my poetic work suggest, this popular climbing vine has wonderful aesthetic attributes and is a good choice for beginning gardeners. However, it can be invasive and become a menace in agricultural circles (hence the second verse). But let’s talk about morning glory’s glorious side first. It’s pretty – no one can argue that! Each morning, buds uncurl to reveal deeply fluted flowers that stretch out toward the light. (It’s truly a magnificent sight!) And this vine comes in so many hues, from pinks, reds and purples to the most popular color – bright blue. Even better is the fact that these showy flowers are plentiful all summer long. The great mystique about this plant is that it only blooms with the morning sun, and then it closes back up by noon. You won’t get much enjoyment from this plant if you work the nightshift, but it’s worth getting up early to see it! Another fantastic thing about this plant is its ability to fill an empty space quickly. It can cover an ugly shed, add privacy to a porch or screen you from the neighbor’s junky yard in no time at all. In just weeks, this energetic vine can grow to 8 feet! Just provide a trellis or large shrub for it to climb on to keep it from spilling along the ground.
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