Morning glory flowers. Bright morning glory - unpretentious flowers in the garden

The flowering plant Ipomoea (Ipomoea) is the most abundant genus in the Bindweed family. This genus unites more than 500 species. These plants are found in natural conditions in various regions with a subtropical or tropical climate. Morning glory is represented by trees, shrubs and lianas, which can be perennials and annuals. Among the various species of this genus, there are also food ones, for example: aquatic spinach and sweet potatoes. The name of this genus comes from 2 Greek words: "ips", which translates as "worm" and "homoios" - "similar", the result is "worm-like", this definition is associated with the rhizome of perennial species of morning glory. Florists grow vines belonging to this genus, the opening of their flowers occurs in the early morning, while all other flowers are still closed, so the morning glory is called the "flower of the morning dawn." Interestingly, weed bindweed and morning glory are close relatives.

Ipomoea, grown in garden plots of middle latitudes, is a garden morning glory, a liana about 5 m long. Heart-shaped shoots are densely leafy. The large flowers are very fragrant and have long stalks. The shoots are densely covered with flowers that open early in the morning and turn to follow the sun. Their closure is observed at noon, but if the day turned out to be cloudy, then this can only happen in the evening. Double or simple flowers have a shape similar to a gramophone pipe, they can be painted in a variety of colors, for example: red, blue, white, pink, etc. Flowering begins in the first summer weeks, and ends with the onset of frost. Under natural conditions, such a vine is a perennial, but in the middle latitudes it is cultivated as an annual plant.

Sowing

For reproduction of morning glory, the generative (seed) method is used. The seeds of this vine remain viable for 3-4 years. Seeds are sown for seedlings in mid-May, but before that they should be scarified (to break the integrity of the shell), instead they can be placed in tepid (25 to 30 degrees) water to swell for 24 hours. , it is necessary to carefully pierce their shell with a needle, after which the seed is soaked again.

It is imperative to take into account that each species needs a certain soil mixture, and this is the main difficulty in growing morning glory. For sowing African species, you need to use a soil mixture intended for succulent plants, into which small expanded clay should be added. For sowing seeds of American varieties, you need to use a substrate consisting of peat, coconut fiber, leaf humus, vermiculite and fine expanded clay (2: 2: 4: 2: 1).

Small cups need to be filled with a suitable substrate, after which 2–4 seeds are placed in them, cover the top of the container with a film or glass, as a result you will get a kind of mini-greenhouse. If necessary, water the crops, arrange for them regular ventilation, remove condensate from the shelter, and also maintain the air temperature within 18-20 degrees. If everything is done correctly, then the first seedlings should appear after 10-12 days.

After the seedlings reach a height of 15 centimeters, a lace will need to be tied to their base, its other end should be pulled up and fixed in this position. The resulting guide will become a support for the growing plant. As the seedlings grow, they need to be transplanted 1 or 2 times into a larger container, using the transfer method, but be careful, as the root system should not be exposed or injured. Pinching the plants will allow them to grow more side shoots.

What time to plant

Planting mature morning glory seedlings in open soil should be done in the last days of May or the first - June. This should be done after the soil is well warmed up, and the threat of return spring frosts is left behind.

Seedling planting rules

For planting young plants in open ground, the transshipment method is used. A distance of 20 centimeters must be kept between the bushes. After planting over the plants, it is necessary to install a support, for example, you can stretch the fishing line or use a lattice of twigs.

Sowing seeds can be done directly into open soil. Sowing is carried out in the last days of May, after the threat of return frosts has passed. For planting, you must choose a calm and well-lit area. This vine grows best on weakly acidic, well-drained soil.

When cultivating such a plant, it is important to remember that all parts of it contain a large amount of poison. In this regard, this liana should be grown only on the street.

Ipomoea care

Watering

Watering morning glory should be systematic, but moderate. Do not allow liquid to stagnate in the root system of the plant. In May-August, these flowers should be watered regularly, and there is no need to wait until the topsoil dries up.

Top dressing

Liana is fed during the period of intensive growth once every 15–20 days. For this, fertilizers are used for cacti or for decorative flowering plants. But remember, if you overfeed the morning glory, especially with fertilizers containing nitrogen, this will positively affect the growth of foliage, but extremely negatively on flowering. In this regard, the liana should be fed in moderation. The fertilizer concentration should be the same as that used for indoor flowers.

Pruning

Sometimes liana needs pruning. So, you need to cut out all injured or diseased shoots. Pruning is recommended in September, which will allow the morning glory to be put in order before wintering. In spring, the bushes should be thinned out, while each of them should have no more than 3 shoots. There are times when such a vine needs to be thinned out during the growing season.

There are types of this vine, for which propagation cuttings are used. For example, this method is propagated by the sweet potato morning glory. Cut off a few stems of morning glory and cut cuttings from them, while keeping in mind that they should have 2 internodes, and they should be 15 to 20 centimeters long. The lower cut at the cutting should be done at an angle of 45 degrees, 1.5 cm below the knot. All leaf plates must be cut off from the bottom of the cuttings, after which they must be put into water. The roots should grow already for 3-5 days, after which it is recommended to plant the cuttings in the soil immediately. Liana grows warm (20 to 25 degrees). In the substrate, morning glory takes root completely within 7 days. Approximate timing of rooting cuttings:

green cuttings - in March or April;
semi-lignified or green cuttings - summer.

Diseases

Morning glory can get sick with fungal diseases, for example: anthracnose, white rust and various types of rot - root, stem, black, soft; viral diseases (there are about 20 different viruses); as well as physiological disease - white edema.

The defeat of vines by fungal diseases most often occurs through the soil, especially if liquid constantly stagnates in it. Plants affected by such diseases can be cured; for this, rotten places should be cut out, and the bush itself should be sprayed with a fungicidal preparation. However, root, soft and stem rot are considered incurable, in this regard, diseased bushes must be dug up and destroyed. An effective cure has not yet been found for viral diseases, so sick vines must also be dug up and burned. White edema is a non-infectious disease; it affects only those vines that have grown at home or in a greenhouse. The development of such a disease is observed with very frequent watering, excessively low temperature and high humidity. In diseased plants, cones and blisters form on the leaf plates, painted in green or light yellow, which eventually changes to brown. After that, the foliage turns yellow and flies around. In order to prevent such a disease, you should adhere to the rules of agricultural technology of this culture.

The greatest danger to morning glory is posed by such harmful insects as aphids and spider mites. If there are few pests, then you can try to eliminate them with gentle methods. To exterminate aphids, the bush is sprayed with soapy water, while spider mites can be removed with cold water. If there are a lot of insects, then the bush will have to be sprayed with a systemic insecticide, for example: Karbofos, Aktellik, Akarin or Fitoverm.

What time to collect seeds

Experts advise to collect seeds from the second and third bud. After the flowers wither, a brown box is formed in their place, wait until it dries and opens slightly. This usually happens after 4 weeks. Pour the seeds into a paper bag with the name of the variety on it. The seeds remain viable for 3-4 years.

Morning glory in winter

In mid-latitudes, morning glory is cultivated as an annual plant. In this regard, in the autumn, after flying around the foliage, shoots can be cut off, and the site should be digged, do not forget to select and destroy all rhizomes. In the springtime, sow the seeds again and you will have a spectacular vine again. It should also be noted that morning glory reproduces well by self-seeding, therefore there is a high probability that in the place where it grew, friendly shoots of this vine will appear in spring.

Types and varieties of morning glory with photos and names

As mentioned above, there are more than 500 species of morning glory, but only 25 of them are cultivated by gardeners. The ones that are most popular will be described below.

The homeland of this species is Australia and Asia. The stems of this plant can be up to 5 meters long. It blooms very profusely with blue flowers. During flowering, this morning glory looks like a carpet. The palm-shaped lobed leaf plates are carved.

This vine is an annual. There is pubescence on the surface of the shoots, their length can reach 8 meters. Opposite bare leaf plates can be lanceolate or oval. The length of single gramophone flowers is about 70 mm, they can be painted in dark purple, blue, pink, red, purple or white. There are varieties with a variegated color or with double flowers. This species comes from the tropics of America. There are varieties: Starfish, Scarlett O'Hara, Nochka, Giselle.

Ipomoea Nil (Ipomoea nil, Ipomoea Imperialis), or in Japanese asagao (morning face)

This highly branching vine is an annual, it can be up to three meters long. Opposite large leaves have a wide-oval shape, dark green color and long petioles. The funnel-shaped flowers reach 10 centimeters in diameter, they can be colored in dark or light blue, purple, red or pink. Flowering begins in mid-summer and lasts until October. Varieties:

Pikoti - semi-double flowers have a red or blue color and a white edging;
serenade hybrid - corrugated double flowers reach 80 mm in diameter, they are painted in lilac or dark red.

The homeland of this species is the tropics of America. This perennial plant is cultivated in mid-latitudes as an annual. Shoots are about 4–5 meters long. Opposite long-petiolate large leaf plates are heart-shaped, wrinkled and glabrous. The flowers are funnel-shaped, reaching 80–100 mm in diameter, collected in bunches of 3 or 4 pieces. The flowers are light blue in color, while the tube is white, but after they fade, they acquire a purple-pink hue. Flowering begins in the first days of June and ends with the first frost. Some varieties differ in that they include psychotropic substances that are used in medicine. The following varieties are popular with gardeners: Pink Lollipop, Blue Star, Sky Blue and Flying Saucer.

The homeland of this annual liana is the tropics of America. The length of the branched stem is from 2 to 3 meters. Large leaf plates have a three-lobed heart-shaped shape, they are similar to ivy foliage. The shape of the flowers is funnel-shaped; they reach about 50 mm in diameter. As a rule, they are painted in sky blue, they are also found with white edging, and they can also be painted in burgundy, red and pink. On a long peduncle there are 2 or 3 flowers. Flowering begins in July and lasts until the second half of the autumn period. There is a variety Roman Candy: leaf plates have a variegated green-white color, it can be cultivated as an ampelous plant.

The homeland of this species is also the American tropics. The stems are about 3 meters long, and the shoots are up to 6 meters long. Large leaf plates are heart-shaped. Fragrant white flowers, reaching about 10 centimeters in diameter, they open at night, and their closure is observed with the first rays of the sun. Not all gardeners know about this feature, so some of them complain that their vine does not bloom. However, on a cloudy day, the flowers close only in the late afternoon and in this case it becomes possible to enjoy their extraordinary beauty. Flowering begins in July or August and ends in October.

This morning glory has carved openwork leaf plates and tubular small flowers. The most popular varieties are: feathery quamoclite (Quamoclit pennata), Slaughter's quamoclite, or cardinal liana (Quamoclit x sloteri), fiery red quamoclit (Quamoclit coccinea) and lobular quamoclite (Quamoclit lobata).

In addition to these species, among gardeners, the following are somewhat less popular: palmate, lobed, Brazilian, Moorish, etc.

At a friend's house, I saw a lush climbing plant, beautifully hanging from a flowerpot. I wanted to plant the same gorgeous morning glory at home. A friend cut off a shoot from him, told how to grow him. Despite my inexperience, I still managed to grow it. Now Ipomoea sweet potato also decorates my home. In this article I will tell you how to grow morning glory in a room environment, I will list the rules for caring for it.

The very beautiful and densely leafed morning glory sweet potato was previously grown only as an edible plant, since its roots can be eaten. Now it is mostly grown as an indoor flower, which is used to decorate a balcony or terrace.

In warm regions, they are decorated with street flower beds, however, in this case, it is grown as an annual. Since sweet potato is a tropical plant, it is very fond of sunlight and fresh air, so for the whole summer you need to place it on the balcony or ventilate the room more often.

This climbing plant can easily grow up to 5 meters in length. They are usually decorated with windows, arches, fences, walls, and hung from the ceiling. With its help, you can hide any flaw in the territory, since the flower grows quickly.

Sweet potato has heart-shaped leaves that are smooth to the touch, which are either burgundy or green in various shades. Every summer, funnel-shaped inflorescences of pink, white, lilac or purple bloom on a houseplant.

Indoor varieties

There are about seven thousand varieties in the world, which are divided into three groups: vegetable, dessert, fodder. A large number of varieties are grown in open soil. But there are varieties that can be grown indoors. Provided that the room is well ventilated or the flower will be taken out to the balcony in the warm season. Let's list the most popular varieties in Russia:

Margarita - It has large, light green, heart-shaped leaves.
Kumara Red - A very lush bush with large leaves, loves sunlight, so it is recommended to place it only in a very bright room.
Burgundy - It is decorated with large and beautiful leaves, and the inflorescences exude a very pleasant aroma.
Purple - Its almost emerald leaves are quite resistant to almost all diseases and insect pests.

Conditions of detention

In most cases, morning glory is grown outdoors. But the landing site is chosen calm and well-lit. But it is undesirable to plant it in the shade. As a rule, it is planted in the spring, right after the frost has passed.

In the fall, it dries up naturally, as it is annual. But if it belongs to perennial varieties, then in early September, until the cold comes, it must be transplanted into a pot and transferred to a warm room, cutting off the top.

Indoors, morning glory grows like a perennial plant. True, it differs from other domestic flowers in that it sheds its leaves every winter. This only happens when the room temperature drops significantly. In dwellings, it is better to install a pot or pots with this decorative morning glory as close to the window as possible. The main thing is that there are no drafts, but the air is ventilated.

The soil

In a specialty store for growing indoor morning glory, you can buy standard soil for flower plants, or you can make a mixture yourself. To do this, neutral soil from the street must be disinfected in any way, then mixed with humus, adding superphosphate and potassium fertilizers. If ordinary soil is too acidic, then it is mixed with ash or lime. And after five days, fertilizers are added.

The main thing is that the soil is very lush. Although, if you do not bother with the composition of the soil, the sweet potato will still grow, but not as luxuriantly as we would like and without inflorescences. It is advisable to add potassium once a year, it is best to do this in August and early September. You can feed with ash, for this, a glass of ash is diluted in a ten-liter bucket of water. Mix well and water a little.

Watering

This indoor flower is ideal for busy or forgetful owners as it doesn't need to be watered often. On the contrary, the morning glory sweet potato is afraid of overflow. Frequent watering is required only in the first few weeks of life. If the flower is on the balcony, then during the rainy season it is rarely watered.

And during a dry summer, it is watered once or twice a week, having felt the soil in advance. If it is wet at a depth of one centimeter, then watering is not required. Since August, watering is reduced to once a week.

If small blisters of light color are noticed on its gorgeous leaves, then watering is stopped until these blisters pass. This is a plant's reaction to excess moisture. It is best to water using a pallet, from where, through the drainage holes, the plant itself will take as much moisture as it needs. It is better not to spray, but only once every three months to wipe its leaves from the accumulated dust.

Temperature

This heat-loving flower can easily die during sudden frosts. Therefore, it is taken out to the balcony only after the air temperature has been above +20 ° C outside for several days. The same applies to landing in open soil.

Reproduction

This decorative flower is propagated in three ways. Which one to choose, the florist decides for himself.

Seeds

This is the most difficult and unreliable method, since not all sprouts grow strong from seeds and take root sufficiently. Therefore, to obtain two or three sprouts, several seeds are planted at once. And be patient. Usually, this method is used by breeders to develop new varieties.

The seed growing process consists of four steps:

Preparing the soil - The soil should be very loose, light so that the seeds can grow more easily. For this, the fertilized soil is mixed with sand in a 2: 1 ratio.
Seed preparation - Before planting, the seeds are soaked for about a day in a very weak solution of potassium permanganate. So they hatch faster. You can also pierce the top of the seeds with a clean needle so that they germinate faster. But the second option is considered risky.
Planting Seeds - Seeds are spread in a container filled with moist soil. The distance between seeds must be at least 3 centimeters. Then they are lightly sprinkled on top with the same earth. They are placed in a well-lit place and covered with plastic wrap, which is opened once a day for several minutes. If necessary, the earth is moistened with a spray bottle. Do not watered under any circumstances, as heavy drops can damage delicate sprouts.
Planting seedlings - The first shoots should hatch in 14 days. As soon as more than two real leaves appear on them, the film is removed, but not immediately, but within two days. Sprouts are planted in separate containers or in open ground only when they grow up to 15 centimeters.

Tubers

This method is suitable for outdoor morning glory, which is dug out for the winter. In this case, the cut-off tubers are stored in a cool place. Usually, in December, buds begin to form on the tubers.

In this case, it can be separated with a clean and sharp instrument. Then each part is buried in a separate container with moist soil. In spring, these tubers from pots can be replanted into open soil.

By cuttings

This is the simplest and easiest way that even a novice florist can handle. A small shoot is cut from the flower, planted in clean water at room temperature. They are waiting for the roots to grow from the shoot. If the edge is rotten, then it is slightly cut off and put back in water, which was replaced with clean water.

As soon as small roots have grown, the shoot is transplanted into a pot with fertilized soil. The first month it is watered abundantly, then the frequency of watering is reduced to one or two times a week.

Pests and diseases

Ipomoea sweet potato rarely gets sick, it is practically not attacked by pests. But due to accidental or deliberate overflow, its roots can pick up root rot. In this case, the flower is carefully pulled out of the pot, the tuber and roots are cleaned of the earth. Then the decayed roots are cut with a clean knife. And the rest is treated with any fungicide:

Bordeaux mixture.
Vitaros.
Copper sulfate.
Fitolavin.

Then they are planted again in a pot with drainage holes. The bottom must be filled with drainage, and the earth must be replaced with fresh. After that, the indoor flower is watered only through the pallet.

Ipomoea tuber is popularly called sweet potatoes because of their similar taste. In addition to starch, it contains many elements useful for humans:

Iron.
Carbohydrates.
Proteins.
Phosphorus.
Potassium, etc.

Tubers can be boiled, baked, eaten raw. It is ideal for dietary meals due to its low calorie content and high amount of vitamins. If it is used often, then the body will increase its resistance to almost all diseases. It also helps fight cancer cells in the body, for this tubers need to be consumed almost every day.

Its beneficial properties:

Excretion of cholesterol.
Improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Strengthening the nervous system.
Building muscle mass.
Increased female libido.

I, without hesitation, planted it in my garden: believe me, I simply could not do otherwise.

Beautiful heart-shaped leaves of morning glory with large funnel-shaped flowers of various colors decorate my garden from June to the first frost. They create a dense green curtain, sparkling with multi-colored flowers, which look like a gramophone of extraordinary beauty.

Ipomoea is simply irreplaceable, if you need to quickly create a living green screen, it will perfectly decorate any arch and disguise all unsightly places. In general, morning glory is an ideal vine for planting in the middle lane.

Growing Ipomoea

Growing morning glory is not as difficult as it is fun. This vine grows very quickly, twisting around any that comes across on the way. She is very unpretentious, and in order to grow well, she has enough loose calcareous and normal.

When growing morning glory, take into account an interesting feature of this plant: its flowers, having opened early in the morning, are already closed in the afternoon. The only exceptions are those days when the weather is cloudy outside, at this time you will be able to enjoy the beauty of the morning glory flowers in full, because they remain open all day. Such an amazing behavior of this vine is explained by the fact that the morning glory is very sensitive to light, therefore, with an excess of it, the flowers close.

Reproduction of morning glory

To get strong seedlings of morning glory by May, sow its seeds in pots in late March or early April. Before sowing, the seeds must be soaked in ordinary water for 24 hours. If some of the seeds do not swell during this time, prick them with a needle and soak them again for 24 hours. Morning glory seeds germinate for about 10 days, and the ideal temperature for germination is + 18 ° C.

Growing morning glory seedlings, several times before planting in the ground, it must be transplanted into more spacious pots. In this case, the root lump of earth must be preserved without fail, since the seedlings do not tolerate the transplantation procedure quite well.

To speed up the growth of seedlings, install a small support for the morning glory, on which it can curl freely. Otherwise, by the time it is planted in the ground, it will be extremely difficult for you to disassemble its entangled stems and not damage them.

Ipomoea seeds can be sown in open ground as early as early May by throwing 3 things into each hole. Before sowing, just as in the case of propagation of morning glory seedlings, it is better to germinate the seeds.

You can choose a suitable plant for your garden in our market section.

No less dangerous enemy of morning glory is also, the appearance of which is evidenced by a thin cobweb on the leaves of a plant and small dots. If you find it, spray the morning glory leaves with ordinary cold water for several days in a row.

Types and varieties of morning glory

In nature, the most common genus morning glory sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), which has over 500 species, including annuals and perennials. The homeland of the sweet potato Ipomoea is tropical America.

Of the 500 species of sweet potato morning glory, only 25 are used in decorative floriculture, and the most popular of them are the following:

Ipomoea Cairica (Ipomoea Cairica)

This species of morning glory has very dense shoots, on which there are simply a huge number of flowers.

Morning glory of Cairo. Photo from the site burgos-m.ru

It grows very quickly: in a short period of time it turns into a real green carpet.

Morning glory "Heavenly Blue"

Ipomoea Heavenly Blue in England is called "morning glory", because its lovely flowers bloom earlier than other plants. The long stalks of the morning glory can turn several times during the day, thanks to which the sky-blue gramophones always look directly at the sun.

Ipomoea sky blue. Photo from the site koffkindom.ru

Flowering begins in early July and lasts until the first frost.

Ipomoea purpurea (Ipomoea purpurea)

Ipomoea is a purple native of tropical America. This vine boasts an incredibly long (up to 8 m) stem.

Ipomoea purple. Photo from the site dachnaya-zhizn.ru

Purple morning glory flowers are about 7 cm in diameter, can be red, pink, purple and even dark purple.

Ipomoea nil

Morning glory nil is a perennial vine cultivated as. Its stems grow very quickly, reaching 3 m in length, and the funnel-shaped flowers can be of different colors: from pink, red and sky blue to lavender, purple and dark blue.

There is a very beautiful color of flowers.

Moonflower morning glory (Ipomoea alba)

The homeland of the moon-flowering morning glory is tropical America. Strongly branching herbaceous vine grows long shoots - up to 6 m! The seeds of the lunar flowering morning glory are protected by a rather dense shell, therefore, before sowing, they need to: soak them in warm water for a day, having previously scratched grooves on the shell. The flowers of the moon-flowering morning glory can reach 12 cm in diameter and exude a characteristic sweet-almond aroma.

Unlike other species, moonflower morning glory reproduces well by layering. To do this, throughout the summer period, the shoots that appear near the root collar need to be lightly pinned to the ground and sprinkled with soil, leaving only the tops on top of it. After two months, the rooted layers can be transplanted into containers, which are removed to the basement for the winter. Successfully overwintered plants with the onset of spring are possible.

Ipomoea tricolor or (Ipomoea tricolor)

It is a liana with highly branched stems, reaching 4-5 m in height. The large, heart-shaped leaves are opposite, and the funnel-shaped flowers boast an amazing sky-blue tricolor.

Morning glory tricolor. Photo from the site koffkindom.ru

The most beautiful varieties are deservedly considered with blue or purple flowers and a bright white-pink central part.

New varieties of morning glory

Breeders all over the world are happy to breed new varieties of morning glory.

Many of them surprise with intricate shapes and look amazingly beautiful.

Ipomoea hybrid. Photo from forums.gardenweb.com

For others, the color of the petals resembles the starry sky.

Ipomoea hybrid. Photo from forums.gardenweb.com

Do morning glories grow in your garden?

Ipomoea are attractive climbing annuals with very beautiful flowers.

Morning glory: growing from seed

Ipomoea can be propagated using seeds that remain viable for several years. Sowing is usually carried out in the second half of spring.

Before sowing the seeds, it is necessary to pierce their top layer with a needle or soak for 24 hours in warm water.

With this method of reproduction, special attention must be paid to the substrate. Ipomoea varieties that are of African origin grow well in succulent soil, where a small amount of fine expanded clay is added. For American varieties, a mixture of leaf humus, fine expanded clay and peat in a 2: 1: 1 ratio is more suitable.

Ipomoea seeds are sown in small containers, several in each. After that, they are covered with foil. If necessary, it will need to be removed, aired and watered, and the temperature maintained at 20 degrees. In this case, the seedlings will appear in about 2 weeks. When they grow up, young morning glories are transplanted in separate containers, over time they will need support.

Reproduction of morning glory

Some varieties of such a plant can be propagated by cuttings. To do this, shoots are cut from the plant, from which cuttings up to 20 cm long are cut. Each of them must have at least 2 internodes, it is necessary to cut off at an angle of 45 degrees 10-15 cm below the last internode. Next, all the leaves are cut from the bottom, young plants are placed in water, where the root system will form in no more than a week. After that, Ipomoea need only be planted in a separate pot, providing proper care.

Morning glory: growth pattern

The genus of morning glory includes about 500 species, among them there are lianas, annuals and perennials, bushes. The genus is part of the Bindweed family. In floriculture, annual curly morning glories are grown. They all have funnel-shaped flowers, which are often called "gramophones". Their color and size depends on the variety of morning glory. The peculiarity of the morning glory is that its flowers open at sunrise and close in the afternoon. Most often they are grown on supports and frames, less often as an ampelous plant.

The most common species is Ipomoea tricolor - Ipomoea tricolor. Its height is about 3 meters, its stems entwine any support provided. With the beginning of summer, flowering begins, which continues until the very frost.

Very beautiful large flowers with a diameter of up to 10 cm are distinguished by the tricolor Ipomoea variety - Heavently Blue. They are painted in bright blue, and their central part is yellow-white.

Ipomoea purple - Ipomoea purpurea - is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful lianas. It is most often grown as climbing plants to create living walls and partitions in the garden, with its help you can close your site from prying eyes by planting it along a mesh fence. The shoots of purple morning glory can rise up to 3 m along the support. The leaves of this morning glory are heart-shaped, the flowers can reach 4-10 cm in diameter, and their color ranges from white to dark blue. The center of the purple morning glory flower is always white - this is what makes it different from other types of such a plant.

Ipomoea bright red - Ipomoea coccinea - has another name - fiery red kvamoklite, as it used to be attributed to a separate genus Kvamoklit, which was eventually combined into a common genus. This plant grows up to 2 meters in height, and if grown in a flower pot - up to 1.5 meters. The flowers are red and the inside is yellow. Their diameter is 3-4 cm.

Do not confuse feathery quamoclite - Ipomoea quamocli with bright red morning glory. Their flowers are very similar, but feathery quamoklite has dissected dark green leaves that resemble cypress or fern. Hence another name - cypress liana.

Morning glory: features of care

Ipomoea is a fairly easy plant to care for, the main thing is to provide it with support, regular watering, good lighting and feeding. Adult morning glories grow normally in universal potting soil.

With active growth, such a plant needs abundant watering - the soil in its pot should never dry out, but also should not become very wet. Also, at this time, it is required to regularly apply top dressing - once every 1-2 weeks.

At home, Ipomoea feel fine in good lighting. As for the temperature regime, it must be maintained at a level of at least 15 degrees. But there are also varieties that tolerate temperatures normally and up to 10 degrees.

Some varieties of such a plant can also be grown as perennials - in this case, watering should become abundant in winter, the temperature should be maintained at 7 degrees.

Possible problems

Among pests, morning glories can affect whiteflies, and. To get rid of them, the plant must be treated with an insecticide.

In case of low temperatures, the leaves of the morning glory may turn pale. Also, deformation of the leaves can occur. To avoid such problems, the plant needs to be provided with a suitable temperature.

Wanting to decorate their summer cottage, or maybe just a balcony, many owners give preference to bindweed plants. This is not surprising. After all, such plants very beautifully frame the objects located on the territory of the site, dissolving the Ipomoea has been familiar to mankind for a long time. She is considered one of the most delicate varieties of plants that can be chosen to decorate a summer cottage.

Many poems are dedicated to this indescribably beautiful plant. This is not surprising. Anyone who has ever seen the freshness of its delicate buds will fall in love with this miracle of nature forever. Different species are distinguished by bright colors of flowers. Breeders create new varieties of this plant every year. Because of this, the coloring of the buds takes on a wide variety of options.

general characteristics

Leaves and flowers look indescribably tender on the stem. Ipomoea (photo is presented below) with its beauty is capable of overshadowing many garden plants.

The name of the plant comes from the fusion of two Greek words, which in translation sound like the phrase "like a worm". This is due to the appearance of the underground part of the flower.

However, not all peoples have the name of the plant so prosaic. Its beauty is reflected in the English name, which translated into Russian means "glorifying morning". In Japan, Ipomoea is called "morning face". This is no coincidence. Flowers of this family are distinguished by the peculiarity of blooming with the first rays of the rising sun and closing at noon. If the day is cloudy, the plant does not close its buds until the evening.

A variety of flowers fall into this group. Morning glory is the largest genus of the Bindweed family. They include about 500 varieties of herbs. It even includes some types of shrubs and trees. The plant in the wild lives in the temperate and tropical latitudes of Eurasia, Africa and America.

The root of the plant is taproot, less often tuberous. The stem of almost all species is curly (creeping). This is the one that likes abundant watering. The plant blooms in summer and even autumn. Ipomoea has a lot of buds, but the duration of the existence of each of them is no more than a day. Therefore, she throws out all the new flowers.

The fruit looks like a spherical box. It contains from 4 to 6 seeds of a rather large form.

Plant character

Bright flowers look very beautiful on various objects of the site. Morning glory (photo presented below) differs in certain features of agricultural technology.

They must be taken into account by everyone who is going to grow a plant in their area. This is an annual liana. She grows very quickly, dropping a mustache and clinging to the vertical supports she meets. If there are pickets, trees, threads, wire or nets pulled up on the site, hedges, morning glories will cling to them. With proper care, the vine blooms very profusely. Some species can even collect buds in paniculate groups.

In the wild, the flowers of morning glory can be from 5 to 15 cm. But artificially bred varieties have buds up to 20 cm. This increases the decorative qualities of the plant.

If the weather is rainy, the bud remains closed throughout the day. Pollination occurs in the corolla closed with petals. But on a sunny day, the plant is pollinated by insects. In the wild, even birds (hummingbirds) or small animals (bats) can participate in this process.

Depending on the variety, today there are morning glories intended for the conditions of the infield, as well as houseplants. Therefore, when acquiring seeds, it is necessary to clarify in what conditions this species should exist.

Varieties

There are a huge number of plants belonging to the genus Ipomoea. Even individual families stand out among them. These include a variety of flowers. Morning glory kvamoklit, koloniktion, farbitis are the most common.

Farbitis flowers are very popular today. One of the most common varieties is Havently Blue. Its flowers are blue in color. In their center, yellow-blue colors prevail. These are very beautiful flowers.

Koloniktion (also called moonflower) is distinguished by white flowers. They exude a subtle sweet aroma. Most of the morning glories cannot boast of this. A feature of the moonflower is the ability of the buds to bloom for only one night. But the flowering period can last until the very frost.

Ipomoea kvamoklit looks quite elegant.

The foliage of this variety is similar to openwork feathers. Flowers stand out against this background with bright red stars. Slaughter's morning glory kvamoklit looks like a feathery plant with fiery red buds. The dense curtains they form will decorate any area.

Popular varieties of morning glory

Ipomoea is famous for its variety of species. A photo of flowers in the garden is presented below. There are several of the most popular plant varieties that are worth considering in more detail. This will allow you to choose the right variety of creepers.

Ipomoea is characterized by very abundant flowering and high density of leaves. If you want to decorate objects on the site with a beautiful natural carpet of flowers, you should give preference to this particular variety.

The sky-blue morning glory opens the buds. Flowers have a long stem and are able to turn towards the sun. The buds have an azure hue. And a rich expressive shade is characterized by purple morning glory. Its stems are very long. They can reach 8 m. The buds are pink, red, purple, lilac.

Ipomoea Nile is characterized by a very rapid growth of the stem. The buds of this plant can be of a variety of colors. These are pink, blue, and lilac shades. There are also buds of dark, saturated colors.

Many artificially bred varieties are today used for decorative purposes everywhere. The variety of shapes and colors is difficult to retell. Everyone can choose a plant to their liking.

Reproduction of morning glory

The flowers of which are a simple and fun activity are most often grown from seeds. In warm climates, they are allowed to be sown directly into the ground. But in middle latitude, it is still better to resort to the seedling method. Otherwise, the plant may simply not bloom.

Before planting, seeds should be soaked for a day in a little water. During this time, they should swell. If this does not happen, the seeds can be pricked with a needle. This process is called scarification. After that, the seeds are soaked again for a day.

It will not be difficult to organize a small greenhouse. It's just that soil is poured into a small container. Pre-swollen seeds are planted in it. Then they are covered with glass or polyethylene. The container is regularly ventilated. As the earth dries up, it is watered.

The first shoots appear in 1-2 weeks after planting. As soon as the first leaves appear from the ground, the film or glass is removed. When the plant has about 4 full leaves, it can be transplanted into the ground. This is done together with a clod of earth at the root system. It should be big enough, as morning glory doesn't like transplants.

Then the seedlings must be supported. Otherwise, the stems will become intertwined. It will be almost impossible to unravel them later.

When can I land?

Many owners strive to have these flowers on their site. Ipomoea, which is planted in open ground on the site, involves the cultivation of seedlings. The whole process should start from March-April. The plant grows very quickly. Therefore, after 3 weeks, it will be completely ready for transplantation. There is no point in breeding seedlings in advance.

Before planting seeds in greenhouse soil, it is necessary to calculate what the ambient temperature can be after 3 weeks. If it should not (according to forecasts) fall below +10 degrees, then you can start working.

The plant does not tolerate frost. Its normal climate is warm, humid weather. A line of +10 degrees is critical for most types of morning glory. In exceptional cases, the liana can withstand temperatures extreme for it up to +2 degrees. But this is quite rare.

It is best to plant seeds in open ground during the period when the night temperature does not drop below +10 degrees. This is most often the case for April-May.

How is planting in the ground?

You can plant flower seeds directly into the ground. Morning glory germinates well, but before that, the seeds must be soaked in water for a day. If the weather was appropriate, seedlings will appear in a week.

After the first shoots have pierced the thickness of the earth, the Ipomoea grows rapidly. A support must be placed near each liana. Ipomoea is regularly pinched. This is done when the stem has about 4 full leaves. This contributes to the rapid emergence of new shoots from the axils, which make the flower voluminous. Ipomoea, planted and cared for properly, blooms faster and grows thicker.

Regardless of whether seedlings are planted in the ground or only seeds, the distance between each individual plant should be at least 20 cm. This will provide the required space for the plant's root system, allowing it to receive the necessary nutrients from the soil.

Breeding on the balcony

These flowers decorate the balcony very beautifully. Morning glory can be planted in a pot. If there is not enough light, the plant will release extra leaves and flowering will be poor. Therefore, it is necessary to think over its location correctly.

The balcony must also be glazed. On its open varieties, the wind can easily damage the stem and leaves of the plant. Proper protection of morning glory must be ensured. Under these conditions, the plant can be planted in large pots as well as long boxes. When planting, it is necessary to calculate the density so that for each morning glory there is at least 2.5 liters of soil.

In these conditions, proper care is essential. Full watering, groundbait and careful handling will allow you to grow a plant of indescribable beauty even on the balcony.

Plant diseases

Sometimes the plant doesn't throw out flowers. Morning glory is susceptible to various diseases. To prevent this, it is necessary to provide proper care for the plant. The most common pathogens are aphids and spider mites.

To keep your plant alive and well-being, it is necessary to treat the leaves with an appropriate insecticide at the very first signs of aphids. The faster this is done, the faster the morning glory will be able to regain its strength.

The second dangerous pest for the presented plant is the spider mite. It makes itself felt with a thin web. It appears on the leaves of the flower. You may also notice small dots. Here, the fight against the pest is quite simple. Just sprinkle the leaves with cold water daily.

Plant care

Ipomoea is considered a rather picky plant. A flower, caring for which does not require much effort and time, will be grateful to its owners for the right actions. Ipomoea will thank them with its wonderful flowering.

Initially, it is necessary to provide proper support for the vine. A vertical mesh or wire can be installed for this purpose.

The soil should always be slightly damp. Too much or, conversely, poor watering is equally dangerous for the plant. In order for morning glory to please the eye with an abundance of buds, it should be regularly fed with a frequency of 1 every 5 days. Fertilizers should be low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus. This stimulates its flowering.

Due to improper care, the plant can quickly wilt. It can be sore, which will affect flowering. The plant's immunity becomes very fragile after suffering hardships. Therefore, it is better to look after him correctly and in a timely manner.

A lot of people tend to have flowers presented on their site or balcony. Morning glory produces unusually beautiful buds. They will delight the owners for a long time. Not requiring special care, morning glory is a picky plant. This is a great solution for decorating any home garden or even a balcony. The rapid growth rate will allow you to hide even the imperfections of surrounding objects and fill the world around with harmony and indescribable beauty.