1 / 10

Ipomoea hederacea

ivy-leaved morning-glory

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Hummingbirds Drought Tolerant

Overview

Ipomoea hederacea is a twining annual vine in the morning-glory family, climbing 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) by scrambling over supports. Its leaves are usually three-lobed and ivy-like, though some are unlobed and heart-shaped, all carried on hairy stems. From summer into autumn it opens funnel-shaped flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, blue to purple with a paler throat, fading by midday. The flowers are backed by long, narrow, tapering sepals covered in spreading hairs and curved outward at the tips, a feature that separates this species from related morning-glories. Each flower gives way to a rounded capsule of dark seeds, which contain alkaloids toxic if eaten in quantity. Native to tropical America, it has naturalized across much of the warmer United States, where it grows on roadsides, field edges, and disturbed ground and is treated as an agricultural weed in row crops. It germinates and reseeds prolifically, so it can persist and spread well beyond where it is first sown.

Native Range

Ipomoea hederacea is native to tropical America, including Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. It has naturalized widely across the central, southern, and eastern United States.

Suggested Uses

Grown on trellises, fences, and arbors as a fast summer screen, and in cottage and annual plantings for its morning flowers. It covers bare vertical supports within a single season. Its weedy reseeding limits use to areas where volunteers can be managed.

How to Identify

Identify by the three-lobed, ivy-like leaves on hairy twining stems and the blue to purple funnel flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. The most reliable feature is the long, slender sepals, densely hairy and curved back at their tips. This long-tailed, recurved calyx separates it from Ipomoea purpurea, which has short, broad sepals.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 6'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Summer Fall

Funnel-shaped flowers open from midsummer into autumn, roughly July to October, each lasting a single morning before fading. Flowering continues until frost. Peak bloom comes in late summer as the vines reach full length.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

blue to purple

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Ipomoea hederacea in full sun on a trellis, fence, or other support it can twine through. It grows in average, well-drained soil and tolerates heat and lean ground, flowering more sparsely in rich soil that favors leafy growth. Seed is sown directly after the last frost, with soaking or nicking of the hard coat to speed germination. Water young plants until established, then occasionally. Because it self-sows heavily and can become weedy, spent capsules are removed before the seeds ripen where spread is unwanted. The seeds contain alkaloids toxic if eaten.

Pruning

No structural pruning is required for this annual. Stems can be pinched to encourage branching and cut back to keep the vine within its support. Spent capsules are removed before they ripen to limit self-seeding.

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Toxic to pets and humans

Planting Guide

Planting Methods & Timing

Planting Method

direct sow

Plant Spacing

12 inches