If you’ve noticed your beach morning glory vines spreading out horizontally rather than climbing upwards you may be wondering what’s causing this sideways growth habit. There are a few key reasons why beach morning glories grow horizontally instead of vertically.
It’s Their Natural Growth Pattern
The trailing, sprawling growth of beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is perfectly normal. Unlike traditional vining morning glories that use tendrils to climb trellises and fences, beach morning glory is adapted to spread vigorously along the ground.
In their native sandy coastal habitats, these ground-hugging vines help stabilize dunes and soil. Their robust horizontal growth allows them to cover open areas and withstand harsh maritime conditions. So sideways growth is part of their innate behavioral programming.
Maximizing Access to Sunlight
Like most plants, beach morning glories grow towards sunlight. But because they don’t climb, their strategy is to laterally extend stems and foliage to maximize sun exposure
Horizontal growth allows the vines to efficiently capture sunlight for photosynthesis. If plants don’t sense a vertical structure to climb, they opt for sideways spread as the best way to get ample sunshine for growth.
Built-In Flexibility
Beach morning glories can tolerate being partially buried and crushed by shifting sands. Their flexible stems readily bend without breaking. Combined with laterally spreading roots, this lets vines redirect growth and adapt to changes in the coastal environment.
This flexibility and resilience suits the aggressive horizontal expansion that is part of the plant’s survival strategy in challenging seaside settings.
Seeking Out Space and Nutrients
In garden settings with richer soil than sand dunes, beach morning glories thrive and spread rapidly. Horizontal growth allows the vines to seek out new spaces with fresh nutrients and water.
As with other crawling plants like ivy, unabated horizontal growth can become problematic in smaller cultivated areas. But the motivation is the plant’s drive to propagate and flourish
Growing Tips for Horizontal Vines
If your beach morning glory’s sideway spread is encroaching where you don’t want it, here are some tips:
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Provide a trellis or other vertical structure to encourage upward climbing growth.
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Trim back wayward stems to contain horizontal growth.
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Mulch around the base to deprive unwanted growth areas of nutrients.
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Plant in containers or beds with defined edges to restrict spread.
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Grow more competitive plants nearby to limit its expansion.
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Consider less aggressive native groundcovers instead.
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Remove the plant if its spreading becomes unmanageable.
Advantages of Sideways Growth
While sideways beach morning glory growth presents challenges, it also has advantages:
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Stabilizes and covers ground extremely effectively.
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Produces masses of flowers over a wide area.
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Offers unique landscaping possibilities compared to upright plants.
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Provides ample ground-level habitat for wildlife.
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Handles being walked on or played on once established.
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Requires less structural support compared to climbing vines.
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Its low profile suits paths, shorelines, natural areas and more.
So while sideways growth may require more pruning and maintenance, embrace it as natural behavior for this coastal species. Train vines onto trellises, walls or fences to add vertical dimension if desired. But also appreciate beach morning glory’s flat, spreading beauty carpeting the ground below.
When to Worry About Sideways Growth
Horizontal growth alone isn’t necessarily a problem with beach morning glories. However, contact a plant expert if you also notice:
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Wilting, limp stems and yellowing leaves indicative of disease or cultural issues.
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Failure to flower, which can signal problems with light, nutrients or moisture.
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Damage from pests like spider mites, caterpillars, or beetles.
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Failure to resume upright growth when given structural support.
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Loss of vigor, progressing dieback, or plant mortality from unknown causes.
These symptoms in combination with running horizontal growth may indicate underlying issues needing diagnosis and resolution.
In conclusion, the sprawling sideways growth habit of beach morning glory comes naturally. Gently guide it where wanted, prune it back where not, and revel in this tough plant’s tenacity carpeting the seashore or your garden. With proper care, your beach morning glory’s determination to grow sideway brings unique, trailing beauty.
How to fertilize Beach Morning-Glory
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plants nutrients, repot your Beach Morning-Glory after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
Beach Morning-Glory prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Beach Morning-Glory requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive . Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home .
Beach Morning-Glory is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.
Beach Morning-Glory doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
Beach Morning-Glory does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
Beach Morning-Glory is a fast growing plant and may deplete the nutrients in its soil over time. Replenish them with a gentle organic fertilizer or compost every 1-2 months depending on your location and season. Fertilize more often during the growing season and in warmer and brighter climates.
Beach Morning-Glory is native to Worldwide.
Beach Morning-Glory is a naturally climbing plant and can be trained to climb indoors if you provide a moss pole or trellis. The newest growth will emerge from the end of the stems.
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
Care Summary for Beach Morning-Glory
Greg recommends:
0.5 cups every 9 days
< 1ft from a window
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
Get personalized care for every one of your plants!
Growing Gorgeous Beach Morning Glory in Your Garden
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