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Morning Glory - Ipomoea.
The family of Ipomoea is very large and includes many well-known climbers like Convolvulous
(Link) and Sweet Potatoes. (Link) The common name of “Morning Glory,” comes from the fact that the flowers open in the morning and start to fade by midday, hence name.
Some of the family of plants are fairly hardy perennials and evergreens and some are herbaceous in their nature as their top growth dies off in the winter only to re-shoot in the Spring from thick tuberous roots as Convolvulous does. Others family members are very tender and are treated as Annuals. Leaf shapes also vary with some having heart shaped leaves and some palmate.
Most of the Annuals are freely available as seeds and marketed as Ipomoea. These quick growing Annuals make ideal bedding plants with their masses of big funnel-shaped flowers that come in a range of white, reds, purples, pinks and blues these days. Flowering through the Summer and into the autumn, the Ipomoea, are ideal to give a little height at the back of any bedding plant display, because with their twining habit they will quickly grow up any suitable support such as trellis or wire fence.
Iopomoea prefer a well-drained and sunny position, but will happily grow in any reasonable soils. Propagation of the Perennial types is possible from cuttings, but most Ipomoea are grown from seed and germination is not as easy as with some plants.
Quamoclit
(Mina) Lobata Quamoclit
Lobata, or Mina Lobata, as is it is now being
marketed, is one of the smaller growing members of the greater
Ipomoea/Convolvulous family. It is a somewhat tender, twining climber,
that needs a very sheltered spot to survive the U.K. climate and will
do best in a greenhouse, or conservatory. It is a perennial where it
can be readily found in its native Mexico, although some family
members are only annuals and Mina Lobata may be best treated as an
annual. It will grow up to some 10 - 15 feet covered in small
leaves and masses of small orange/red, trumpet shaped flowers
that are produced in mid Summer.
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