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Morning glories are perennials with funnel-shaped, fragrant flowers that grow from a vine and come in many bright colors such as blue, pink, purple, and white. These beautiful flowers open at the first sunlight and last throughout the day. These typically hardy vines, however, can sometimes suffer problems.
Problems with morning glories can vary but may include environmental issues and fungal diseases of morning glory.
Morning glories are fast growing climbing vines that produce heart-shaped leaves and trumpet shaped flowers in vibrant colors. They are easy to grow, thrive in full sun, and add a burst of color to any vertical space.
However, it can be disheartening to see the leaves of your morning glories turn from vibrant green to an unsightly yellow. Yellowing leaves are usually a sign of stress and can damage the health of your plants if left unchecked.
In this article, we’ll explore the various causes of yellow leaves on morning glories and provide solutions to restore the foliage to its former verdant glory.
Why Morning Glory Leaves Turn Yellow
Morning glories prefer consistently moist, well-draining soil and at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Anything less can stress the plants weaken the foliage and cause yellowing of the leaves.
Here are some of the most common reasons for yellow leaves on morning glories
Insufficient Sunlight
Morning glories thrive in full sun locations. Too much shade stresses the plants and causes them to produce less chlorophyll resulting in yellow leaves.
Solution: Move plants to a sunnier spot with at least 6 hours of direct sun. Prune off the worst affected leaves.
Overwatering
Excess moisture weakens leaves and roots, creating conditions for fungal diseases like root rot.
Solution: Prune yellow leaves. Plant in well-draining soil. Water thoroughly but don’t let water pool around roots.
Underwatering
Inadequate water, especially during warm and dry periods, causes leaves to yellow.
Solution: Water 1 inch weekly in absence of rain. Mulch around plants to retain soil moisture.
Disease
Wet conditions and poor air circulation promote fungal leaf infections like powdery mildew.
Solution: Prune infected leaves. Improve airflow. Water in morning rather than evening.
Pests
Sap sucking insects like aphids drain energy and color from leaves. Caterpillars and leaf miners chew holes in foliage.
Solution: Apply neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays. Pick pests off by hand. Ensure adequate watering.
Too Much Fertilizer
Excess fertilizer accumulates in the soil and prevents water uptake, causing leaf discoloration.
Solution: Fertilize lightly every 4-5 weeks during active growth with a balanced, low nitrogen fertilizer.
Cool Temperatures
In areas with cold winters, cooler fall temperatures cause some natural yellowing as morning glories decline.
Solution: Bring potted plants indoors before frost. Morning glories are annuals in frost prone climates.
Other Morning Glory Leaf Problems
Besides yellowing, morning glory leaves can suffer from other issues like:
Leaf Rust
Tan, rusty, or black spots surrounded by yellow rings appear on leaves. Caused by fungal spores in wet conditions.
Solution: Prune infected leaves immediately. Improve airflow. Water at soil level. Sterilize tools. Apply copper fungicide spray.
Browning Leaves
Crispy, brown leaf edges caused by sun scald or insufficient water.
Solution: Provide afternoon shade. Maintain even soil moisture.
Wilting Leaves
Inadequate water uptake due to under watering or leaf chewing caterpillars.
Solution: Eliminate pests. Make bactericidal spray with Bacillus thuringiensis. Follow proper watering schedule.
Curling Leaves
Caused by viral infections like potato leaf curl virus or exposure to toxins from nearby plants.
Solution: Isolate affected plants. Grow morning glories away from invasive trees like Ailanthus.
How to Prevent Yellow Leaves on Morning Glories
Here are some tips to grow vigorous morning glories with healthy, green foliage:
- Plant in loose, well-draining soil enriched with compost
- Site in full sun locations (at least 6 hours direct sun)
- Water 1 inch weekly in absence of rain
- Avoid overhead watering to limit fungal disease
- Prune away any diseased or dying foliage
- Provide support for vines to climb
- Mulch around plants to retain moisture
- Avoid excess fertilization
- Monitor for pests and treat promptly
- Bring potted plants indoors before first fall frost
With proper care, your morning glories will reward you with months of abundant, vibrant blooms and lively green heart-shaped foliage. A bit of vigilance and prompt troubleshooting at the first signs of yellowing will help nurture these fast growing vines through a long, vigorous growing season.
Morning glory vine diseases
A fungal disease called rust is another culprit of yellowing leaves. To diagnose whether your plant has rust or not, look closely at the leaves. There will be powdery pustules on the backside of the leaf. They are what cause the leaf to turn yellow or even orange. To prevent this from happening, do not overhead water your morning glory and remove any infected leaves. Canker is a disease that causes the stem of the morning glory to be sunken-in and brown. It wilts the ends of the leaves and then spreads onto the stem. It is a fungus that, if not taken care of, will affect the whole plant. If you suspect that your morning glory has this fungus, cut away the infected vine and dispose of it.
Environmental problems with morning glories
When the leaves of a morning glory turn yellow, it is usually a sign that something is not right with your plant. Insufficient sunlight can be a cause of yellowing leaves, as morning glories require full sun to flourish. To remedy this, you can transplant your morning glory to a sunnier spot in the garden or trim any plants that are blocking the sun. Another cause of yellow leaves is either under-watering or over-watering. Once your morning glory has been watered, let the soil dry before re-watering. Morning glories do well in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-10, be sure that you are in one of these zones for best results.
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FAQ
How to fix yellow leaves on morning glory?
Insufficient sunlight can be a cause of yellowing leaves, as morning glories require full sun to flourish. To remedy this, you can transplant your morning glory to a sunnier spot in the garden or trim any plants that are blocking the sun. Another cause of yellow leaves is either under-watering or over-watering.
What do overwatered morning glories look like?
Conversely, overwatering results in brown, often mushy leaves that may also develop a smelly fungal growth. Will Common morning glory recover from underwatering? Yes, with prompt action, Common morning glory can recover from underwatering.
What is lacking when leaves turn yellow?
Nitrogen is often the first nutrient that comes to mind as lacking when leaves turn yellow, but yellowing of the leaves can also indicate that the soil is low in other nutrients such as iron, manganese, or zinc. The most reliable way to assess the problem is to do a soil test.
How often should you water your morning glories?
Watering: 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.