Pitted Morningglory

Biological Name:

Ipomoea lacunosa (Pitted-Morningglory)

Natural Habitat:

Pitted Morningglory: This plant is native to North and Central America and can be found in a variety of habitats including fields, gardens, and waste areas.

Description:

Pitted morningglory is a type of flowering plant that is commonly found in fields and other grassy areas. It is a member of the Convolvulaceae family which also includes plants such as sweet potatoes and bindweeds. Pitted morningglory is an annual or perennial plant that produces large showy flowers and clusters of seeds. The plant is often used as a cover crop to improve soil health and suppress weeds. It is also known for its ability to tolerate a wide range of growing conditions including wet or dry soils. In some areas pitted morningglory is considered a weed because of its ability to invade cultivated areas and cause allergies and other health problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Are morning glory seeds invasive?
A: Morning glory (Ipomoea sp.) is a good example of a beautiful annual vine that can become invasive. Morning glory plants grow two to ten foot in a growing season.
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Q: Do morning glory seeds come back every year?
A: Morning glories are technically perennials, returning year after year in zones where the temperature doesn’t regularly dip below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, like USDA zones 9 – 11. They are grown as annuals in zones 2-8. They die over the winter, though they can drop enough seeds to regrow the following year.
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Q: Do birds eat morning glory seeds?
A: Late blooming morning glories can be particularly valuable to hummingbirds in late summer and fall when the birds are preparing to migrate or are already enroute to their wintering grounds. Often these long-distance migrants have a hard time finding enough food to successfully navigate this difficult flight.
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Q: How long do morning glories live?
A: As with every flower, morning glories only last for a limited time. They are called “morning glories” as their cheerful blossoms open fresh each and every morning. Sadly, they only last for one day but the vines that they grow off of produces countless blooms.
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Q: Are morning glory poisonous to dogs?
A: The particular species of the morning glory referred to as Ipomoea violacea and Ipomoea carnea are quite poisonous to dogs. When large quantities of seeds are eaten by dogs, it is the many lysergic alkaloids that cause distress.
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Q: Is morning glory a type of ivy?
A: Ivy-leaved morning gloryFamily:ConvolvulaceaeGenus:IpomoeaSpecies:I. hederaceaBinomial name
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Q: Are morning glories poison?
A: Fortunately, eating morning glory flowers is not dangerous, unless the child chokes. BUT the seeds can be poisonous, especially in large quantities. They contain a chemical similar to LSD. Symptoms can range widely, from diarrhea to hallucinations.
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Q: Is morning glory a good climber?
A: Prized for its quick-growing climbing habit, it is perfect to hide an unforgiving fence! New Morning Glory varieties with different flower colors have added extra interest to this old-fashioned garden favorite. They are now available in charming shades ranging from pink, blue, red, and magenta, to white.
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Q: How invasive are morning glories?
A: 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.
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Q: Does morning glory like sun or shade?
A: Choose a sunny spot. These plants need a lot of sun to bloom their best! Plant in moderately fertile, well-draining soil to encourage good foliage growth followed by plenty of flowers.
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Q: Do morning glories damage walls?
A: Unlike ivy and other vines, morning glories do not grow roots for climbing. To encourage these vines to cover the side of a structure, you’ll need a trellis or lattice for them to climb. On the one hand, you won’t need to worry about morning glories damaging the walls of your structure!
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Q: What is morning glory plant used for?
A: The Chinese were among the first to use the morning glory for medicinal purposes. They used it as a laxative. On the other side of the globe, native tribes living in what is now Mexico used morning glories as a medicine and in their religious rituals.
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Q: How can you tell a morning glory vine?
A: This plant can be identified by the way that its heart-shaped leaves generally overlap one another. Another key feature is its multi-hued purple/white flowers. The cotyledons are often more square than ivy/entireleaf morning-glory.
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Q: How poisonous are morning glories?
A: Toxicity: 3-4 Ingestion in large amounts can cause serious effects. These plants are known to cause problems in animals.
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Q: Do morning glories return every year?
A: MORNING GLORY BASICS 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.
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Q: What kind of morning glory gets you high?
A: The ingestion of Ipomoea violacea seeds produces effects comparable to those produced by Argyreia nervosa seeds. These effects, although minor, are similar to those of LSD.
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Q: Is morning glory a creeper or climber?
A: Creepers cannot grow vertically on their own e.g., Morning Glory. All these types of plants are commonly known as climbers.
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Q: Will morning glory strangle other plants?
A: Morning glory can, like other vine plants, choke out and kill the plants that you actually want to cultivate. It also grows very quickly; the plant’s creepers will take over an entire corner of your garden in just a few days.
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Q: What can you not plant with morning glories?
A: You can grow a trellis of red, white and blue morning glories if you’re feeling patriotic. They don’t partner well with other annual or perennials flowers since their growth can overwhelm those plants.
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Q: Should you cut back morning glory vines?
A: Morning glories don’t usually require pruning except in fall after frost has killed the foliage. But if the plants start to grow larger than you want and get out of hand, you can prune them back during the growing season without harm.
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Q: Are morning glories a nuisance?
A: Known more correctly as Field Bindweed, Morning Glory Weed can be a troublesome nuisance to lawns and gardens. Field Bindweed roots run deep and its vines strangle other plant growth.
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Q: Should you pinch off morning glory?
A: Morning glories are low maintenance; just be sure to water during particularly dry periods. Mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. If you don’t want the plant to reseed itself, just pinch off old flowers before they turn into seedpods. This can also encourage the plant to keep producing more flowers.
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Q: Are morning glories toxic to touch?
A: The cultivated morning glory is a fast-growing vine with white, blue, or purple flowers. Birds, bees, and butterflies love them. Children are also attracted to the showy flowers. Fortunately, eating morning glory flowers is not dangerous, unless the child chokes.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.