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.
With their vibrant flowers and ability to thrive in sandy coastal areas, beach morning glory plants (Ipomoea pes-caprae) are a popular choice for seaside gardens. However, their broad leaves and rapid growth rate make them prone to collecting dust and debris. A buildup of dirt not only detracts from the plant’s appearance but can also impede healthy growth. Fortunately cleaning beach morning glories is straightforward with some simple maintenance tips.
Reasons to Clean Beach Morning Glory Foliage
Here are some of the key benefits of periodically washing your beach morning glory vines
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Removes sand and salt residue from ocean breezes. This prevents salt burn and allows leaves to photosynthesize effectively.
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Washes away insect honeydew, bird droppings, and other sticky messes. These can foster mold or infestations if allowed to remain.
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Cleans off dust and pollution particles that accumulate on leaves. This improves air circulation and light absorption.
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Restores the vibrant green color of the foliage. Dirt and debris give leaves a dull, mottled appearance over time.
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Prevents pest problems like spider mites that thrive on dusty plants. Clean leaves deter these pests.
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Eliminates weed seeds, fungal spores, and other debris that collects in the foliage. This prevents diseases and weed growth.
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Improves the plant’s visual appeal with shiny, unblemished leaves. A clean plant just looks nicer!
How Often to Clean Beach Morning Glory Foliage
During the active growing season, plan to thoroughly clean your beach morning glory every 2-3 months. Remove any accumulated salt spray after severe storms. Spot clean sections as needed to treat specific issues like honeydew buildup.
In winter when plants are dormant, cleaning is only necessary every 4-6 months. Monitor for minimal dust and debris accumulation but avoid over-cleaning dormant vines.
Increase cleaning frequency for plants in dusty areas or those showing signs of poor health potentially caused by dirty foliage. Adjust schedule based on your individual conditions.
##Cleaning Method Options
You can clean beach morning glory foliage using water, gentle soap solutions, or commercial leaf wash products. Avoid harsh chemicals that could damage the waxy leaf cuticle. Consider these cleaning approaches:
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Plain water – Spray vines thoroughly or use a wet cloth to wipe leaves. Rinse away residue.
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Mild soap and water – Mix a few drops of liquid castile or baby soap into a spray bottle. Apply and rinse.
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Vinegar solution – Mix 1 part vinegar with 5 parts water for a safe, effective cleaner.
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Leaf shining products – Use a commercial botanical leaf shine product following label directions.
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Gentle pressure washing – Use a low pressure setting to avoid damaging tender growth.
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Damp microfiber cloth – Gently rub leaves with a wet cloth to remove debris and buff to a shine.
Tips for Effective Cleaning
Follow these tips to get your beach morning glories sparkling clean without harming the plants:
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Check undersides of leaves for hidden dirt and pests. Clean both sides.
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Use lukewarm water to avoid temperature shock and edema blisters on leaves.
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Rinse thoroughly after soaping to prevent residue buildup.
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Wipe instead of rubbing leaves to avoid abrasions.
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Apply cleaners early or late in the day during cool temperatures.
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Allow leaves to fully dry before nighttime to prevent disease entry points.
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Remove dead leaves and stems to prevent decaying debris.
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Prune away any damaged sections revealed during cleaning.
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Avoid getting flowers and buds wet to prevent fungal issues.
With the right gentle cleaning routine, your beach morning glories will continue growing vigorously and brightening your coastal garden with their cheery blooms.
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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.
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.
Growing Gorgeous Beach Morning Glory in Your Garden
FAQ
Can you eat beach morning glory?
How do you maintain morning glories?
How do you get rid of morning glory rust?
Should morning glory be deadheaded?