Blue morning glory vines are beloved old-fashioned plants that add vertical interest and cottage-style charm to gardens and landscapes. With their brightly colored trumpet-shaped blooms and vigorous climbing habit, they are perfect for decorating fences, arbors, trellises and more.
An Overview of Blue Morning Glories
Morning glories belong to the Convolvulaceae family and Ipomoea genus. Most are fast-growing annual vines in cooler climates. But some types may return as short-lived perennials in subtropical or tropical zones.
These annual vines can easily reach lengths of 10-15 feet in one growing season. The colorful funnel or trumpet-shaped flowers open wide in the morning sun and close up by early to mid-afternoon.
Popular blue morning glory varieties include:
- ‘Heavenly Blue’ – Vibrant mid blue blooms with white centers
- ‘Blue Star’ – Pale blue flowers with delicate star patterns
- ‘Flying Saucers’ – Unique two-tone blue and white blooms
- ‘Pearly Gates’ – White flowers with blue-violet stripes
- ‘Blue Ensign’ – Rich royal blue blooms
Growing Blue Morning Glories
Blue morning glories thrive with full sun exposure and average, well-drained soil. Established vines tolerate heat, humidity, and short dry spells quite well.
Here are some key growing tips:
- Soaking seeds for 12-24 hours speeds up germination
- Sow seeds directly in garden after danger of frost has passed
- Space seeds or transplants 6-12 inches apart
- Provide a strong vertical support structure like a trellis or arbor
- Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly to encourage growth
- Water regularly until established, then 1-2 times per week
- Remove spent blooms to prolong flowering
When and Where to Plant Morning Glory Vines
Blue morning glories can be planted in spring after the threat of frost has passed. In hot climates, fall planting is also an option.
They need a site with full sun exposure to bloom their best. Morning glories will tolerate light shade but may not flower as heavily.
Provide plenty of vertical space for the vines to climb. Good supports include:
- Trellises
- Arbors
- Obelisks
- Fences
- Pergolas
- Railings
Avoid planting near shrubs, trees, or smaller plants that could get overtaken. Morning glories grow rapidly and spread.
Caring for Established Morning Glory Vines
Once established, blue morning glory vines are quite easy care:
- Water 1-2 times per week during dry periods
- Apply monthly fertilizer to prolong bloom time
- Stake and tie vines as needed for support
- Prune off spent blooms to encourage new flowers
- Watch for aphids, spider mites, caterpillars
- Cut back vines after first fall frost
Beautiful Uses for Blue Morning Glories
The fast, dense growth of morning glories makes them ideal for many vertical gardening situations:
- Covering ugly fences or walls with color
- Climbing up trellises, obelisks, and arbors
- Creating privacy screens on porches or patios
- Hiding unsightly structures
- Softening harsh lines of railings and posts
- Accenting lamp posts or mailbox
- Trailing from baskets and containers
Top Blue Morning Glory Varieties
Here are some of the most popular blue morning glory vines to grow:
‘Heavenly Blue’
- Vibrant mid blue color
- Large, classic trumpet-shaped flowers
- Very vigorous, dense growth
‘Blue Star’
- Light sky blue blooms
- Distinctive white star pattern
- Prolific flowers
‘Flying Saucers’
- Unique bicolor flowers in blue and white
- Large, flared trumpet shape
- Adds great visual interest
‘Pearly Gates’
- White blooms with blue-violet stripes
- Prolific and long blooming
‘Blue Ensign’
- Deep royal blue flowers
- Traces of purple-blue in blooms
With their rapid growth and long lasting color, blue morning glory vines add vertical appeal to gardens. Popular varieties like ‘Heavenly Blue’ and ‘Flying Saucers’ have colorful trumpet-shaped blooms that bedazzle fences, arbors, and more all season long. Just be sure to provide sturdy structures for them to climb.
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.
Nil Morning Glory Blue Picoted Climbing Vine Plant seeds
FAQ
Do blue morning glories come back every year?
Are morning glories annuals or perennials? They’re technically perennials, but people below zone 9 typically grow them and replace them each season.Oct 10, 2023
Are Heavenly Blue morning glories invasive?
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Not Invasive:“Heavenly Blue” morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor) is a popular ornamental vine, and while it can self-seed readily, it’s not considered as invasive as some other morning glory species or the related bindweed.
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Aggressive Growth:It’s a fast-growing vine that can quickly cover surfaces like fences, trellises, and arbors.
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Self-Seeding:It does self-seed easily, meaning it can spread to other areas of your garden, but it’s not as difficult to control as some other invasive plants.
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Confused with Bindweed:It’s often confused with bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), which is a highly invasive plant.
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Garden Varieties:Many garden varieties of morning glories, including “Heavenly Blue,” are grown as annuals in North America and are not invasive like the perennial bindweed.
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Control:If you have a problem with morning glories, you can simply pull up the seedlings in early spring before they spread.
Where is the best place to plant morning glories?
Morning glory needs plenty of sun and a sheltered site in order to grow well. It makes an excellent container plant either outside in the garden or indoors in a conservatory or porch.
Do morning glories prefer sun or shade?
Planting your morning glory in a spot that gets full sun is especially important. The flowers will only open when they are in direct sunlight, so daily exposure to full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours a day) will give you the longest amount of bloom time.