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.
Morning glories are beloved vines that add beauty and charm to gardens with their cheerful flowers and quick growth. But as fall approaches, their lush summertime growth can become unruly and unattractive. So should you cut back morning glories when autumn arrives?
The answer is yes – fall is the optimal time to prune morning glories Cutting them back in autumn provides several key benefits
Why Fall is the Best Time to Prune Morning Glories
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Promotes new growth – Removing old stems and foliage in fall redirects the plant’s energy into developing fresh, vigorous shoots come spring.
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Avoids cutting off buds – Fall pruning doesn’t risk accidentally removing flower buds that will bloom next year, which can happen with summer pruning.
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Prevents disease – Getting rid of dead or damaged growth eliminates places disease can take hold, especially important before winter
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Keeps vines tidy – Cutting back long, tangled stems leaves your garden looking neat and tidy over the winter months
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Allows access to supports – Removing excessive growth lets you easily access and maintain any structures or supports through the winter.
How to Prune Morning Glories in Fall
Follow these tips to properly prune morning glories in autumn:
Tools You’ll Need
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Bypass pruners – Make clean cuts that heal quickly.
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Garden scissors – For smaller, delicate stems.
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Sterilizing solution – Prevent disease spread between cuts.
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Gloves – Protect your hands from scratches.
Pruning Steps
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Wait until vines are fully dormant after a hard frost. Leaves will yellow and drop.
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Remove all dead or dying foliage first. Pick off shriveled leaves.
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Use bypass pruners to cut back vines to 6 inches from the ground, just above leaf nodes.
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Trim away small, tangled growth with garden scissors back to outward facing leaf nodes.
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Sterilize tools between each cut to prevent disease transmission.
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Discard all pruned stems and foliage to eliminate pest habitat.
Where to Make Cuts
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Prune each vine back to just above an outward facing leaf node, where new shoots will emerge.
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Make cuts at a 45 degree angle to allow water to run off.
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Pruning back to about 6 inches provides a good balance between tidiness and regrowth.
Caring for Morning Glories After Fall Pruning
Proper aftercare is crucial to support recovery after pruning:
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Water thoroughly after pruning to prevent stress.
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Apply a balanced fertilizer or compost to encourage regrowth.
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Periodically inspect for signs of disease.
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Clean up dropped leaves and debris through winter.
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Check supports are secure and make repairs if needed.
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Mulch the base to insulate roots from cold weather.
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Avoid pruning again until necessary in spring or summer.
Pruning Tips for Different Varieties
Pruning requirements vary slightly between morning glory varieties:
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Vining – Need aggressive cutting back to control tangled growth. Prune all long vines to 6 inches.
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Bush – Require less pruning. Focus on shaping and maintaining desired size.
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Perennial – Can be cut back nearly to the ground as they grow back vigorously.
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Annual – Should not be pruned lower than 6 inches or regrowth may suffer.
Know the needs of your specific variety when fall pruning. Perennials tolerate much more dramatic cutting back than annuals.
Common Morning Glory Pruning Mistakes to Avoid
While fall pruning has many benefits, improper technique can hinder success:
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Pruning too early while still actively growing – Wait until fully dormant after a frost.
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Leaving vines overly long and tangled – Cut back sufficiently.
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Pruning off developing leaf nodes or buds – Make cuts just above outward facing nodes.
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Failing to sterilize tools – Disinfect between plants to prevent disease spread.
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Cutting certain varieties back too severely – Avoid overpruning non-vigorous regrowers.
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Allowing cut foliage to remain – Remove all pruned stems and leaves.
Fall is without question the best time to prune morning glories. Cutting back the vines in autumn promotes beautiful regrowth, prevents disease, and keeps them orderly for winter – leading to optimal performance next year.
By following the correct techniques outlined here, you can properly prune your morning glories in fall and ensure they thrive season after season.
Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
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.
Morning Glories Tips & Tricks
FAQ
Do you cut down morning glories in the fall?
Pruning. Morning glories don’t usually require pruning except in fall after frost has killed the foliage.May 8, 2025
Do morning glories come back year after year?
MORNING GLORY BASICS
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.
How do you prepare morning glories for winter?
Morning glories don’t need to be pruned, but a fall or winter cleanup will help keep your vines looking attractive whether they’re annual or perennial. Remove dead leaves and vines, but keep in mind that most species freely reseed themselves.
Why are morning glories illegal?
Morning glories can become serious invasive weeds in places like Australia and the United States, where they spread rapidly, smother native plants, and are often regulated or banned due to their negative impact on agriculture and ecosystems.