Gardening Plant Encyclopedia Vine Morning Glory By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the digital garden editor at Better Homes & Gardens. Before moving to Des Moines, Iowa, for this position in 2019, she spent 14 years serving as an editor for The American Gardener magazine, published by the American Horticultural Society in Virginia. She holds a B.S. in horticulture from Iowa State University and an M.P.S. in plant pathology from Cornell. Viveka loves getting people excited about the botanical world and feels happiest with dirt under her nails. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on October 11, 2018 Share Tweet Pin Email Morning Glory Overview Description Morning glory is a classic cottage-garden annual that’s long loved for its constant display of colorful, trumpet-shape blossoms all summer and into fall. ‘Heavenly Blue’ is a classic variety with sky blue flowers, but there’s a wealth of other selections to choose from that produce flowers in a whole range of colors, including red, orange, pink, purple, and white. Some even have playfully variegated foliage. Most morning glories are vines with rich green foliage and a plethora of flowers that grow fast in hot weather and cover structures like fences, trellises, and arbors. Note: Some varieties of morning glory have a tendency to self-seed and can be a little weedy in the garden. Genus Name Ipomoea mauritiana Common Name Morning Glory Plant Type Vine Light Sun Height 3 to 8 feet Width 5 to 20 feet Flower Color Blue, Orange, Pink, Purple, Red, White Foliage Color Blue/Green Season Features Fall Bloom, Reblooming, Summer Bloom Special Features Attracts Birds, Good for Containers, Low Maintenance Zones 10, 11 Propagation Seed, Stem Cuttings Growing Morning Glory There are many ways to utilize these colorful, carefree vines in your yard. Use them to quickly cover up an unsightly chain-link fence, for example. Or grow them on a trellis to provide a living privacy screen for your deck, patio, or balcony. They also create a lovely backdrop for the back of the border. Morning glories are delightful by themselves but create an especially magical quality when different varieties are mixed. Don't be afraid to try growing them with other fast-growing annual vines, such as mandevilla, black-eyed Susan vine, scarlet runner bean, hyacinth bean, or passionflower. Morning Glory Care Morning glories grow best—and blossom most prolifically—in full sun, so be sure to plant them where they'll get at least 8 hours of direct light per day during the growing season. Once established they're somewhat drought-tolerant, but the plants look best if watered regularly. Otherwise, their large, heart-shaped leaves have a tendency to wilt during the heat of the day. Spreading a 2- to 3-inch-deep layer of mulch over the soil after you plant them will help keep weeds at bay and allow the soil to stay moist longer so you have to water less often. If you live in an area with short summers, it's helpful to plant morning glory seeds six to eight weeks before your last expected frost date in spring to help give them a head start on the season. Otherwise, purchase transplants from your local garden center and put them out after all danger of frost has passed. Morning glories don't usually require pruning except in fall after frost has killed the foliage. But if the plants start to grow larger than you want and get out of hand, you can prune them back during the growing season without harm. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit