Morning Glory

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morning glory, any of several herbaceous twining vines or shrubs in the genus Ipomoea (family Convolvulaceae). Several species of morning glories are cultivated for their showy trumpet-shaped flowers and attractive leaves.

Common morning glory (I. purpurea), an annual vine that bears heart-shaped leaves and purple, pink, or white flowers about 7 cm (3 inches) across, has become a troublesome weed in parts of southeastern North America. It is grown as an ornamental in many places.

Heavenly blue morning glory (I. violacea)—a twining perennial vine, usually cultivated as a garden annual—bears clusters of blue to purplish, sometimes white, flowers, 12 cm (4.7 inches) across, among heart-shaped leaves. It is native to tropical America. This vine bears seeds containing the alkaloids d-lysergic and d-isolysergic acids (similar to LSD), and the seeds are traditionally used among Mexico’s Zapotec peoples for ceremonial and curative purposes.

One of the largest-flowering species is the moonflower (tropical white morning glory; I. alba), a rampant perennial climber with 15-cm (6-inch) white, fragrant, night-blooming flowers. It contains a milky juice that is used for coagulating Castilla rubber.

Bush morning glory (I. leptophylla), with tuberous roots and erect branches, grows up to about 120 cm (47 inches) tall and bears 7.5-cm (3-inch) purple or pink flowers. It is native to central North America.

The morning glory tree (casahuate; I. arborescens) is one of several similar tropical American tree and shrub morning glories.