Morning glory vines bring old-fashioned charm and a quaint cottage feeling to any garden. However, if you don’t have time to take care of an aggressively seeding plant, you might want to think twice about introducing them into your garden, as they can get out of hand in a hurry. If you have a space where they can run wild over a fence, pergola or arbor, they will make quick cover of it. Their funnel or tubular-shaped flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon. If you’re up for the challenge, here’s more information on growing morning glories.
Annual in areas that get below 45 F, but can still reseed and come back year after year on their own; perennial in warmer, more tropical climates.
Beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is a common vine found growing on sandy beaches and dunes in coastal regions. It is known for its ability to thrive in harsh beach environments. However, beach morning glories are still susceptible to certain pests and diseases which can cause spots and other damage to the plants
What Causes Hard Spots on Beach Morning Glory?
There are a few potential causes of hard spots showing up on beach morning glory plants:
Insect Feeding
Certain sucking insects like scales, mealybugs, and leafhoppers feed on the plant sap. This can cause spots, discoloration, distortion, and dieback of leaves and stems. Heavy infestations can even kill the plant.
Some common beach morning glory pests
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White peach scale – Causes yellow spots on leaves which turn brown. Stems become encrusted with scales.
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Madeira mealybug – Causes yellow stippling on leaves. Sooty mold may grow on honeydew secreted by the bugs.
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Sweetpotato leafhopper – Feeds on leaves causing white stippling which turns brown. Leaf edges may curl up.
Fungal Disease
Fungal leaf spots are common on beach morning glories. Spots often start off small, then expand and turn tan or brown. They may be surrounded by a yellow halo. Severe infections cause early leaf drop.
Examples include:
- Cercospora leaf spot
- Anthracnose
- White rust
High humidity and crowded, poorly ventilated planting areas favor fungal disease development.
Bacterial Infection
Bacteria can also cause leaf and stem spots on beach morning glories. Initially, small water-soaked spots will form which then become necrotic.
Common bacterial culprits include:
- Xanthomonas leaf blight
- Pseudomonas leaf spot
- Bacterial stem rot
Overhead irrigation and warm, wet weather promote bacterial disease.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Lack of important nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium in the sandy growing medium can lead to chlorosis (yellowing of leaves) and necrotic spots on beach morning glory foliage.
This usually indicates the need for a balanced fertilizer to meet the plant’s nutritional requirements.
Chemical Damage
Exposure to certain pesticides, herbicides, or de-icing road salts may cause spotting on beach morning glory leaves and stems. This type of chemical damage is sometimes observed on plants growing along roadsides and paths treated with these products.
How to Treat and Prevent Hard Spots on Beach Morning Glories
Here are some tips to help treat and prevent common hard spots on beach morning glory plants:
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Inspect plants frequently and remove any insect pests found such as scales, mealybugs, or leafhoppers. You can spray neem oil or insecticidal soap for heavy infestations.
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Improve air circulation between plants to allow faster drying. This helps reduce fungal and bacterial diseases.
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Apply fungicides containing chlorothalonil, mancozeb or copper early in the season to prevent fungal diseases.
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Avoid overhead watering and don’t allow plants to remain wet for extended time to limit bacterial disease.
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Fertilize plants in spring with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer to prevent nutrient deficiencies if growing in very poor soil.
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Monitor plants growing along roadsides and paths for chemical damage symptoms. Wash off any residue from leaves.
Catching and treating problems early is key to keeping beach morning glories healthy and free of hard spots! Proper cultural practices like spacing, watering, and fertilization will also go a long way towards preventing issues.
Frequency of Entities:
beach morning glory: 13
Ipomoea pes-caprae: 3
leaf spot: 4
scale: 2
mealybug: 2
leafhopper: 2
fungal disease: 3
bacterial disease: 3
nutrient deficiency: 2
chemical damage: 3
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Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’. Photo by: Hemerocallis / Shutterstock.
Morning glory vines bring old-fashioned charm and a quaint cottage feeling to any garden. However, if you don’t have time to take care of an aggressively seeding plant, you might want to think twice about introducing them into your garden, as they can get out of hand in a hurry. If you have a space where they can run wild over a fence, pergola or arbor, they will make quick cover of it. Their funnel or tubular-shaped flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon. If you’re up for the challenge, here’s more information on growing morning glories.
Annual in areas that get below 45 F, but can still reseed and come back year after year on their own; perennial in warmer, more tropical climates.
6 to 12 feet, or more depending on variety.
Varieties available in purple, blue, red, white, pink and bi-colored.
Morning glory seeds are highly toxic if ingested.
Are morning glory vines invasive?
Morning glories are often mistaken for their aggressive and invasive cousin, field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), also called creeping Jenny, but they are two different species. Morning glories are from the family Ipomoea and, yes, can also be hard to handle and stubborn. They grow quite rapidly and will aggressively self-seed if not prevented by cutting back and removing seed pods, and some varieties have been declared invasive in certain areas. Field bindweed, on the other hand, sends out deep roots that make it nearly impossible to get rid of. These deep roots also allow it to overwinter in colder climates to return again and again. Field bindweed blooms in white or pink flowers and usually has smaller leaves than morning glory.
Morning glories are easily grown from seed and can be started indoors four to six weeks before the last spring frost. If sown directly into the garden, plant after any threat of frost and once the ground has warmed up to 64 F.
Pick a site that gets plenty of sun. They will tolerate some very light shade, but bloom their best in full sun. Because of their rapid growth, choose a location that will allow for its mature size. Morning glories will readily self-seed if allowed, so make sure they are in an area that is accessible for cutting back spent blooms before they go to seed or an area where self-seeding is acceptable. Be considerate of neighboring yards and where the seeds might fall.
If planting from seed, file seeds to break the outer shell and soak for 24 hours prior to planting to help with germination. Cover lightly with one-quarter to one-half inch of soil and water thoroughly. When transplanting, be careful of the roots, as they don’t like being disturbed. Water deeply for several days after transplanting to help the roots get established in their new home. Helpful hint: If starting from seed, use peat or other disintegrating pots that can be planted directly in the soil to lessen the stress on the root system.
Morning glories grow quite rapidly once established, up to 12 feet or more in one season.
No pruning is required; but to prevent unwanted self-seeding, old flowers should be thoroughly removed before they form seedpods.
Morning glories prefer moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is kept consistently moist until the plant is well established. Adult plants aren’t as picky about their soil and can tolerate poor, dry conditions.
Although usually not necessary, you can apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during growing season. Be careful not to fertilize too much as this can produce more foliage than flowers.
Water freely during growing season and once or twice a week during dry periods; but again, established morning glory plants can tolerate drier conditions. Cut back watering in winter.
Softwood cuttings of perennial species can be rooted in spring or summer. Harvest mature seeds in the fall.
Morning glory vines are sturdy and not generally affected by disease or pests, but can occasionally be susceptible to white blister, rust, fungal leaf spot, stem rot, and wilt. They can also be bothered by aphids, leaf miners, spider mites, and caterpillars.
Deer will eat morning glory leaves and vines, although the seeds are poisonous.
All morning glories should be grown with care and you should check for locally invasive species. Here are a few of the more widely acceptable types: Swipe to view slides
Photo by: alybaba / Shutterstock.
Common morning glory Ipomoea purpurea
Zones: Annual, perennial in zones 9-11 or areas over 45 F
Height/Spread: 6 to 10 feet tall, 3 to 6 feet wide
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: June to October; year-round in tropics
Color: Purple flower with white throat
Trumpet-shaped purple flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, which is what gives morning glories their common name. This fast grower grows up to 10 feet in one season. See more on the invasiveness of this species.
Photo by: ChViroj / Shutterstock.
Moonflower Ipomoea alba
Zones: Annual, perennial in zones 10-12 or areas over 45 F
Height/Spread: 10 to 15 feet tall, 3 to 6 feet wide
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: July to October; year-round in tropics
Color: White flower
This tropical native is noted for its fragrant nighttime blooms and broad, deep green leaves. Flowers open in the evening and close before noon the following day. (Not to be confused with daturas, also commonly called moonflower.) See more on the invasiveness of this species.
Photo by: Hemerocallis / Shutterstock.
‘Heavenly Blue’ Ipomoea tricolor
Zones: Annual, perennial in zones 9-11 or areas over 45 F
Height/Spread: To 12 feet tall, 3 to 6 feet wide
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Summer, year-round in tropics
Color: Blue-purple flower with white throat, yellow center
Fast growing, twining climber with a classic morning glory look. Prohibited in Arizona and Arkansas.
Photo by: I_Fleurs / Shutterstock.
Flying Saucers’ Ipomoea tricolor
Zones: Annual, perennial in zones 9-11 or areas over 45 F
Height/Spread: To 12 feet tall, 3 to 6 feet wide
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Summer, year-round in tropics
Color: Silvery white, streaked with blue
One of the more popular varieties due to its variegated flower, it produces large saucer-shaped blooms.
Photo by: Jjaikla / Shutterstock.
Beach morning glory, railroad vine, bayhops Ipomoea pes-caprae
Zones: Annual, perennial in zones 9-11
Height/Spread: Ground cover 16 inches high and can spread over 30 feet
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Late summer
Color: Pink petals with a darker center
Tolerant of sandy soil, salty air and water. Found along southern beaches from Texas to Florida and Georgia. Fast growing ground cover with evergreen leaves.
Photo by: Lucia Barabino / Pixabay.com.
Mile-a-minute vine, Messina creeper, Cairo morning glory Ipomoea cairica
Zones: Annual, perennial in zones 9-11
Height/Spread: 8 to 10 feet
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Summer, year-round in tropical climates
Color: Purple
Noted as invasive in some areas, check locally before planting.
Photo by: Carol Cloud Bailey / Millette Photomedia.
Ground morning glory Convolvulus sabatius
Zones: Perennial in zones 9-11 or areas over 20 F
Height/Spread: Groundcover 1 foot tall and spreads 3 feet in diameter
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Spring through fall, year-round in mild winter regions
Color: Lavender-blue
Forms a mat of green leaves with funnel-shaped flowers.
Photo by: Sari ONeal / Shutterstock.
Cardinal climber Ipomoea xmultifida (I. sloteri)
Zones: Annual, perennial in zones 9-11 or areas over 45 F
Height/Spread: 6 to 12 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide
Exposure: Full sun
Bloom Time: Summer
Color: Bright red
A favorite of hummingbirds, with bright red tubular flowers and deeply cut foliage.
- Morning glory vines will quickly cover trellises, pergolas, arches and fences.
- Use them to create a colorful wall or to cover an unsightly area.
- Fashion a living fence, porch or deck railing.
- Plant vines in containers with a supporting trellis.
- Drape out of a hanging basket; they will also twine up the hangers.
- Grow responsibly in areas where reseeding is acceptable.
- Some varieties are considered invasive in certain areas, check locally before planting.
Blue My Mind® dwarf morning glory. Photo: Proven Winners.
Growing Gorgeous Beach Morning Glory in Your Garden
FAQ
What are the spots on my morning glory leaves?
What is the fungus on my morning glory plant?
Should I remove seed pods from morning glory?
What are the parts of the morning glory plant?
Is beach morning glory poisonous?
This plant has low severity poison characteristics. Beach morning-glory is a perennail vine in the Convolvulaceae (morning glory) family. It is native to the coastlines of tropical and subtropical areas across the globe where it is found sprawling along sandy beaches and dunes.
How big does a beach morning glory get?
Beach morning glory can exceed 33 feet (10 m.) in length. It is native to coastal regions of North America and pan-tropical globally. In the U.S., it is hardy to zone 9 to 11. Leaves are 1 to 6 inches in length (2.5-15 cm.), double-lobed, thick, fleshy, and evergreen.
What is beach morning glory?
Beach morning glory is also called railroad vine due to its scrambling nature and ability to cover less used tracks and roadsides. It is adapted to coastal areas where sand is plentiful and the soil is well-draining. Salt, heat, and wind don’t bother this plant and it is common to see it splayed across a dune in coastal regions.
What does morning glory look like?
You may also spot a morning glory look-alike with white trumpet-shaped flowers and heart-shaped leaves. This aggressive perennial might look similar, but is classified as calystegia. Hedge bindweed ( Calystegia sepium) is a rampant plant with deep roots, and hard to remove.