Regulated in some states
This plant is listed as a noxious or regulated weed in parts of the US, where it may be illegal to grow. Check your state and local regulations before planting it.
Use with caution
Morning glory seeds contain LSA-type indole alkaloids and are poisonous. Eating the seeds can cause nausea, vomiting, and hallucinations, and the plant is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Grow it as an ornamental only, and keep the seeds away from children and pets. Morning glory is also a regulated noxious weed in some states (see the warnings on this page) because it self-seeds aggressively.
Morning Glory
Ipomoea purpurea
flowerCommon morning glory is a fast, twining annual vine that quickly climbs trellises, fences, and arbors, reaching 6 to 10 ft or more in a single season. It unfurls showy 2 in funnel-shaped flowers in blue, purple, pink, crimson, and white that open in the morning and last only a few hours. It is easy and rewarding from seed and tolerates poor, dry soil, but it self-seeds freely and has naturalized as a weed of fields and waste ground, so it needs managing to stay where you want it.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 5 days
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Bloom
~70 days
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Difficulty
easy
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Lifecycle
annual
One season, then done
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Spacing
6-12 in apart
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Planting Depth
Sow 1/4 to 1/2 in deep after nicking and soaking the seed
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Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Growing Details
Soil Type
Poor to average, well-drained
Hardiness Zones
Zones 2 – 11
Grown as an annual — this range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
Little needed; avoid rich feeding
Fertilizer
Low-nitrogen or none; too much nitrogen reduces flowering
🌱 Growing Guide
Grow morning glory in full sun in well-drained soil; it actually prefers poor, sandy ground and tolerates most conditions, while rich soil produces more leaves than flowers. Provide a trellis, netting, or other support at planting, since the vine climbs by twining. Soak and nick the hard seeds before sowing to speed germination, then sow after frost where the plants are to grow, as they resent transplanting. Deadhead before seedpods mature, or remove pods promptly, to prevent unwanted self-seeding. Water during establishment, then it is quite drought tolerant.
🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care — they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.
Planting Calendar
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Start seeds indoors
Mar 18
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Transplant outdoors
Apr 22
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Projected first bloom
Jul 1
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Sunflower — A tall, sturdy annual whose stalks can act as a natural support for the vine
- Corn — Provides height for the vine to climb in an informal planting
- Nasturtium — A low, sun-loving annual that fills the ground below the climbing vine
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Cluster on shoot tips; hose off and conserve ladybugs and lacewings
Stipple leaves in hot, dry weather; rinse foliage and keep plants watered
Leave pale trails in the leaves; remove and destroy mined leaves
🌸 Blooms & cutting
Morning glory is grown for its flowers and climbing screen, not harvest. The key seasonal task is to deadhead spent flowers and remove the round seedpods before they ripen and scatter, which keeps the vine from self-seeding into a weed. Cut the vine down after frost and clear fallen seed.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Morning glory is an ornamental, not edible, and its seeds are poisonous. Its value is fast vertical color and a flowering screen for fences and arbors, with nectar for bees and hummingbirds. Manage its self-seeding, and check the regional warnings, since it is a regulated weed in some states. Have a different variety? Cultivars of the same species share the same basic care, so this guide still applies even if your exact color is not shown.
⚠️ Toxicity & safety
Morning glory seeds contain LSA-type indole alkaloids and are poisonous. Eating the seeds can cause nausea, vomiting, and hallucinations, and the plant is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Grow it as an ornamental only, and keep the seeds away from children and pets. Morning glory is also a regulated noxious weed in some states (see the warnings on this page) because it self-seeds aggressively.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.