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.
How Much Space to Leave Between Each Beach Morning Glory Plant?
Determining the ideal spacing for your beach morning glory plants is crucial to ensure they have enough room to grow and thrive. Proper spacing promotes airflow, allows maximum light exposure, and reduces competition between plants. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about beach morning glory spacing, from general guidelines to key factors to consider.
What is Beach Morning Glory?
Beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is a hardy vine native to tropical and subtropical coastal regions. Also called railroad vine, it’s well-adapted to sandy, salty environments and stabilizes dunes with its sprawling growth habit. The vibrant flowers resemble traditional morning glories.
This fast-growing perennial can reach over 30 feet long. The glossy, leathery leaves are heart-shaped and remain evergreen in warm climates. Showy pink or purple blooms appear throughout the year, especially summer. Once established, beach morning glories are drought and heat tolerant.
Ideal Spacing for Beach Morning Glory
Most experts recommend spacing beach morning glory plants 12-18 inches apart. This gives them sufficient room to grow freely without competing for resources. However, the perfect spacing depends on your specific needs:
- For a dense groundcover, use 12 inch spacing.
- For an open, natural look, use at least 18 inches.
- Allow more space between plants in hot, arid climates.
- Space farther apart in clay soil, which retains moisture.
- Plant closer together for faster coverage.
- Give more space for larger cultivars and vigorous growers.
In addition to the above general spacing guidelines, consider the mature size of your particular beach morning glory variety. Compact types only grow 1-2 feet tall and wide, while vigorous varieties can reach 6 feet across.
Factors that Influence Beach Morning Glory Spacing
Sun Exposure
Beach morning glories thrive best in full sun. Proper spacing ensures all parts of the plant receive sufficient sunlight to grow and flower abundantly. Without adequate space, the lower foliage will be shaded out.
Air Circulation
Good airflow is essential between beach morning glory plants to prevent fungal diseases. Their large leaves tend to hold moisture if crowded together, creating prime conditions for mildew and other problems.
Root Development
Like most plants, beach morning glories develop stronger roots and become better established when given enough room to spread out underground. Their vines also anchor better with space to sprawl.
Visibility
Ample space allows you to appreciate the graceful shape and beautiful blooms of each individual plant. Beach morning glories intermingling closely won’t showcase their best features.
Ease of Maintenance
Properly spaced beach morning glories are easier to prune, weed, water, and care for than overcrowded plantings. You’ll also reduce pests and diseases when air can circulate freely.
Aesthetic Appeal
The balanced look of well-spaced beach morning glories is more visually pleasing than congested plantings. The symmetry and structure enhances any garden or landscape design.
Growth Habit
Give trailing types more breathing room than compact, mounding selections. Let the vigorous vines wander instead of tangling together.
Tips for Planting Beach Morning Glories
Here are some useful tips to get your beach morning glories off to the best start:
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Loosen soil at least 12 inches deep and mix in compost or manure. These plants thrive in nutrient-rich, sandy loam.
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Soak transplants thoroughly before planting and water newly planted vines daily until established.
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Add a balanced organic fertilizer when planting and monthly during the growing season.
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Install a trellis, arbor, or fence for vines to climb. Or plant next to rocks or boulders.
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Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and reduce weeds. Replenish mulch in spring.
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Prune back wayward, wandering vines in summer to encourage bushy growth.
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Propagate more vines from cuttings anytime. Rooting hormone speeds it up.
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Best planting times are early spring through summer in most regions.
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Group plants together for a lush, full look rather than solitary specimens.
Conclusion
Allowing proper spacing between your beach morning glories ensures they have the light, air circulation, root spread, and elbow room needed to thrive. Though general spacing guidelines exist, the perfect distance for your situation depends on climate, soil, variety, desired density, maintenance goals, and other factors. By considering all the variables, you can determine the ideal beach morning glory spacing to create a healthy, vibrant display.
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.
Growing Gorgeous Beach Morning Glory in Your Garden
How big does beach morning glory grow?
Beach Morning Glory is excellent for beachfront homes and coastal landscapes. Grows up to 6 in. tall (15 cm) and 10-50 ft. wide (3-15 m). Will quickly spread to form a mat without being invasive. Thrives in full sun in dry to moist, well-drained, sandy soils.
Can a morning glory grow on a beach?
The beach morning glory is well adapted to beaches and coastal dunes. It is useful as a sand binder and ground cover, even on the ocean side of the first dune. They grow right down to the high tide mark on the beach. Plant on 3foot centers to quickly form a ground cover.
How do you grow beach morning glory?
Thrives in full sun in dry to moist, well-drained, sandy soils. Drought tolerant, Beach Morning Glory can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. Virtually pest and disease free. Propagate by seeds or cuttings. Native to the coastlines of tropical and subtropical areas across the globe.
Where do you plant morning glories?
You can plant morning glories on the east side of arbors, buildings, or even evergreen shrubs. Keep in mind that they will require a support to twine around, so they may need a trellis or system of wires or strings to hold them against a building. How do you plant morning glory?