The beautiful morning glory is a classic flowering vine that brings charm and color to gardens. While the traditional blue variety is most common, unique cultivars like the white morning glory with a purple center offer exciting new options for plantings.
Description of the Variety
This special morning glory cultivar produces luminous white petaled flowers with a striking dark purple center. The eye-catching contrast makes it stand out among other morning glories.
Like other types the blooms have a trumpet shape and lightly ruffled edges. They unfurl in the morning sunlight, then close up at night or on cloudy days.
When open, the blossoms reveal their rich purple throats, reminiscent of brushstrokes on a white canvas. This bicolor effect adds depth and visual interest.
Ornamental Features
A white morning glory with a purple center has the same twining growth habit as traditional blue varieties. It rapidly climbs trellises, fences, and arbors, quickly providing vertical interest.
The flowers bloom continually from early summer into fall. Each plant can produce dozens of new blooms per day for months on end.
The lush green heart-shaped leaves provide a striking contrast to the bi-colored blooms. They create a pleasing background that highlights the flowers.
Overall, this morning glory variety combines fast growth, easy care, and uniquely beautiful bicolor flowers. It’s a stunning option for summer color in the garden.
Growing Conditions
To thrive, this morning glory needs full sun exposure and moderately moist, fertile soil. Avoid soggy or waterlogged soil.
Like other morning glories, this variety germinates best in warm soil above 60°F. Wait until after the last spring frost to sow seeds.
It can tolerate a range of soil pH levels from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. But a neutral pH around 7.0 is ideal.
Provide a trellis or other vertical support structure for the vigorous vines to climb up. Site it in a protected area away from strong winds.
Planting and Care
Follow these tips to successfully grow white morning glory with a purple center:
-
Direct sow seeds 1/2 inch deep after the soil has warmed in spring
-
Space seeds 6-12 inches apart in full sun locations
-
Keep soil evenly moist, watering when the top inches become dry
-
Add a trellis or fence for support once vines start growing
-
Apply balanced fertilizer monthly to encourage flowering
-
Prune back wayward or dead stems to manage growth
-
At the end of season, collect seeds for replanting next year
With proper site selection, planting, and care you’ll be rewarded with nonstop color from this unique morning glory.
Companion Planting Ideas
The bi-colored blooms of white morning glory with a purple center look beautiful paired with other plants:
-
Partner with pink or blue morning glories for pretty contrast
-
Mix in yellow tickseed (Coreopsis) and red salvia for bright pops
-
Underplant with purple fountain grass for harmonious colors
-
Highlight against dark green shrubs like boxwoods
-
Surround with white Shasta daisies and white impatiens
-
Train up supports near pastel yellow honeysuckle vine
Design Uses in the Landscape
Here are some creative ways to showcase this eye-catching morning glory variety:
-
Grow on a garden arch or arbor for seasonal color
-
Use as a colorful garden screen over fences and walls
-
Plant in containers and hang for stunning porch displays
-
Allow to meander through shrubs and trees
-
Train vines up obelisks, pyramids, and tripods
-
Feature alongside benches, gates, and entryways
Enjoy This Unique Flower
The white morning glory with vivid purple center is sure to be noticed in any garden. The striking colors and patterns give it an extra punch of visual power compared to the common blue form. For plantings that pop with vibrant panache, look no further than this beautiful morning glory variety.
How to Plant Morning Glory?
Here are the steps to plant this beautiful vine:
Choose a planting location: Select a location with full sun exposure and well-drained soil. The plants prefer warm soil, so avoid planting them too early in the spring.
Get the soil ready. Loosen the soil about 12 inches (30 cm) deep with a garden fork. Work in some compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil fertility.
Sow the seeds: Sow the morning glory seeds about ½ inch (1 cm) deep in the soil. Space the seeds 6 to 12 inches (15-30 cm) apart.
Water the seeds: After sowing the seeds, water the soil gently to keep it moist. Continue to water the seeds regularly, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged.
Mulch the soil: Mulch the soil around the plants to help retain moisture and control weeds.
By following these steps, you can successfully plant and grow morning glory in your garden.
Morning glory is a relatively easy plant to care for. Here are some tips for proper care:
Watering: Morning glory needs regular watering, especially during dry periods. Water deeply once or twice a week, depending on the weather and soil moisture.
Fertilizer: To get better growth and blooms from your morning glory, feed them once a month during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 that has equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Be careful not to over-fertilize, as this can lead to more foliage growth than flowers.
Pruning: Morning glory is a fast-growing plant that can quickly become out of control. To keep it under control, prune regularly, removing any dead or damaged leaves, stems, or flowers.
Trellising: Morning glory plants are climbers and require support to grow. Install a trellis or provide a support system for the plant to climb.
Morning glories can be propagated through seeds. Here are the steps to follow:
Collect mature morning glory seeds from existing plants in late summer or early fall. Look for the dry seedpods on the plant and remove them when they start to split open.
To help the seeds sprout, soak them in warm water for 24 hours. This will soften the hard seed coat.
Fill a seed tray or pot with seed-starting mix and plant the seeds about 1/2 inch deep.
Put the tray or pot somewhere warm and bright, like next to a sunny window, and water the seeds.
Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and germination should occur within 7 to 21 days.
When the seedlings are about two inches tall, move them to a bigger pot or right into the garden.
Morning glory plants are generally healthy and not prone to many diseases or pests. However, they may occasionally be affected by some issues such as:
Aphids are bugs that eat plant sap. Their food can make the leaves curl and turn yellow.
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that makes the leaves look like they have a white powder on them. It can also bend the leaves and turn them yellow or brown.
Root rot: Root rot is a fungal disease that makes the roots rot and the plant wilt. It can happen when the soil is too wet or doesn’t drain well.
Spider mites: These tiny bugs can change the color and pattern of the leaves and may even make the plant’s stems and leaves look like webs.
To keep these problems from happening, make sure the plants get enough water and drainage, let air flow well, and get rid of any infected parts as soon as you see them. You can also spray the plant with neem oil or a mixture of water and dish soap to get rid of bugs. Fungicides can be used to get rid of fungal diseases.
What is special about morning glory flower?
There are bright colors and trumpet-shaped flowers on morning glory plants. The flowers open during the day and close at night or on cloudy days. They come in many colors, like pink, purple, blue, red, and white. Some types have flowers with more than one color on them. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, some cultures consider morning glory flowers to have spiritual or medicinal properties.
Why is it called morning glory?
The morning glory flower gets its name from the fact that it blooms in the morning and dies off in the afternoon or evening. Flowers often bloom early in the morning, and their petals are often fully open by sunrise, ready to greet the morning light.
Do morning glories come back every year?
Morning glories are annuals, meaning they complete their life cycle within one growing season. However, their seeds can self-sow and produce new plants the following year if conditions are right. In warmer climates, morning glories can act like perennials and grow back from their roots each year.
Where to Plant Morning Glory?
Sunlight: Morning glory plants do better in full sun than in partial shade, so they should be planted somewhere that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.
Soil: They also require moderately fertile, well-draining soil.
Water: They require regular watering to keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.
Temperature: The plants prefer warm temperatures for optimal growth and flowering. They can tolerate temperatures between 60-90°F (15-32°C), but the ideal temperature range is between 70-80°F (21-27°C). They are typically grown as annuals in areas with cooler temperatures or as perennials in warmer climates.
Growing Morning Glory Plant Time Lapse – Seed To Flower (114 Days)
FAQ
What is the white flower that looks like morning glory?
What is the name of the purple morning glory?
Is morning glory the same as purple bindweed?
What does the purple morning glory mean?