Morning glory (also written as morning-glory[1]) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose taxonomy and systematics remain in flux. These species are distributed across numerous genera, including:
As the name suggests, most morning glory flowers open early in the day and begin to fade by late morning, as the corolla starts to curl inward. They thrive in full sun and prefer mesic soils. While many species are known for their diurnal blooming pattern, some, such as Ipomoea muricata, Ipomoea alba, and Ipomoea macrorhiza, produce night-blooming flowers.
Morning glory species were historically used in China for their laxative seeds, by ancient Mesoamericans to vulcanize rubber with their sulfur-rich juice, and by Aztec priests for hallucinogenic purposes. Morning glories can become serious invasive weeds in places like Australia and the United States, where they spread rapidly, smother native plants, and are often regulated or banned due to their negative impact on agriculture and ecosystems.
Morning glories are fast-growing, twining plants often grown as perennial plants in frost-free areas and annual plants in colder climates, valued for their attractive flowers and shade-providing vines, with a long history of cultivation and selective breeding especially in Japan since the 8th century. Ipomoea aquatica, known as water spinach or water morning glory, is widely used as a green vegetable in East and Southeast Asian cuisines, though it is regulated as a noxious weed in the United States, while the genus Ipomoea also includes sweet potatoes, sometimes called tuberous morning glories. The seeds of various morning glory species contain ergolinealkaloids like ergine (LSA) and isoergine, which are structurally related to LSD and can produce psychedelic effects lasting 4 to 10 hours when ingested in sufficient quantities.
In some places, such as Australian bushland, some species of morning glories develop thick roots and tend to grow in dense thickets. They can quickly spread by way of long, creeping stems. By crowding out, blanketing, and smothering other plants, morning glory has turned into a serious invasiveweed problem.[4]
In parts of the US, species such as Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed), Ipomoea purpurea (common morning glory) and Ipomoea indica (blue morning glory) have shown to be invasive. In fact, as of 2021, most non-native species of Ipomoea are currently illegal to cultivate, possess, and sell in the U.S. state of Arizona, and before 4 January 2020, this ban applied to native species, too. This is because some species of Convolvulaceae (like Convolvulus arvensis and Ipomoea × leucantha) have been known to cause problems in crops, especially in cotton fields.[5][6]Ipomoea aquatica is a federal noxious weed, though some states, like Texas, have acknowledged its status as a vegetable and allow it to be grown.[7][8]
In cultivation, most are treated as perennial plants in frost-free areas and as annual plants in colder climates, but some species tolerate winter cold. Some species are strictly annual (e.g. Ipomoea nil), producing many seeds, and some perennial species (e.g. I. indica) are propagated by cuttings. Some moonflowers, which flower at night, are also in the morning glory family.
Because of their fast growth, twining habit, attractive flowers, and tolerance for poor, dry soils, some morning glories are excellent vines for creating summer shade on building walls when trellised, thus keeping the building cooler and reducing heating and cooling costs.
Many morning glories self-seed in the garden. They have a hard seed coat, which delays germination until late spring. Germination may be improved by soaking in warm water.[9]
Morning glory has been a favorite flower in Japan for many a long century.[10] The cultivation started in the Nara period (8th century).[10] The big booms of the selective breeding of the morning glory happened in the Edo era (17-19th century).[10] The large-flowered morning glory was broadly cultivated as a hobby flower. The varied Japanese morning glory (変化朝顔 Henka-asagao or mutant morning glory) was created.[10][11]
Ipomoea aquatica, known as water spinach, water morning glory, water convolvulus, ong-choy, kang-kung, or swamp cabbage, is popularly used as a green vegetable, especially in East and Southeast Asiancuisines. In the US, I. aquatica is a federal noxious weed, and can be illegal to grow, import, possess, or sell without a permit. A market exists, though, for the plant's powerful culinary potential.[8] As of 2005, the state of Texas has acknowledged that water spinach is a highly prized vegetable in many cultures, and has allowed it to be grown for personal consumption, in part because it is known to have been grown in Texas for more than 15 years and has not yet escaped cultivation.[7]
The genus Ipomoea also contains the sweet potato (I. batatas). Though the term "morning glory" is not usually extended to I. batatas, sometimes it may be referred to as a "tuberous morning glory" in a horticultural context. Some cultivars of I. batatas are grown for their ornamental value, rather than for the edible tuber.
^Vargas, Theresa (2006-05-03). "A '60s Buzz Recycled". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2011-01-23. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
^Johnnson, Timothy (1999). CRC Ethnobotany Desk Reference. CRC Press. p. 431. ISBN0-8493-1187-X.
^Tittarelli R, Mannocchi G, Pantano F, Romolo FS (January 2015). "Recreational use, analysis and toxicity of tryptamines". Curr Neuropharmacol. 13 (1): 26–46. doi:10.2174/1570159X13666141210222409. hdl:11573/874462. PMID26074742. Ergine, or lysergic acid amide (LSA), is an alkaloid of the ergoline family closely related to LSD, found in the seeds of Argyreia nervosa (Hawaiian baby woodrose) and Ipomoea violacea (Morning Glories). Hallucinogenic activity of LSA occurs with 4-10 seeds of Argyreia nervosa or with 150–200 seeds (3–6 g) of Ipomoea violacea: seeds could be crushed or eaten whole, or also drunk as an extract, after soaking in water [42]. The onset of the hallucinatory effects, after ingestion of Hawaiian Baby Woodrose, is from 20 to 40 minutes and their total duration is from 5 to 8 hours: the plateau is reached after 4-6 hours and the return to normality is after 1-2 hours from the plateau. [...] However, as regards to the assumption of the Morning Glory seeds, the onset of the hallucinatory effects is from 30 to 180 minutes and they last for 4 to 10 hours. The users reported that they return to normality after about 24 hours [67].
^Paulke A, Kremer C, Wunder C, Wurglics M, Schubert-Zsilavecz M, Toennes SW (April 2015). "Studies on the alkaloid composition of the Hawaiian Baby Woodrose Argyreia nervosa, a common legal high". Forensic Sci Int. 249: 281–293. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.02.011. PMID25747328.
Everitt, J.H.; Lonard, R.L.; Little, C.R. (2007). Weeds in South Texas and Northern Mexico. Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press. ISBN978-0-89672-614-7.
Morning glory (Ipomoea cairica)
Blue morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea)
Blue and purple morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
A fully open pink morning glory (Ipomoea carnea)
Side view of a partially curled Ipomoea purpurea in early afternoon
The top of partially curled Ipomoea purpurea in early afternoon
The leaves of common morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea)
Opening blue morning glory (Ipomoea indica)
Close-up of a blue morning glory flower (Ipomoea indica)
Close-up of a hedge bindweed flower (Calystegia sepium)
Climbing morning glory vine (Ipomoea purpurea)
Blue morning glory flower (Ipomoea indica)
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