Morning glories: Edo woodcuts and modern chromosomes

There is some fascinating science and gorgeous Edo Woodcuts about morning glories on the following link (Some of this is in Japanese, but there’s enough English and Latin to identify these plants):
http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/Asagao/Yoneda_DB/E/menu.html
1) For info on a cross between Ipomoea nil (a hybrid) and I. Purpurea,
scroll down and click on Prospect,
then scroll down to “Breeding by Interspecific Crossing”
Going back to the first link, under Image Archives box further down, click on I. hederacea...interspecific hybrids. There you will find some chromosome count pictures relating to other interspecific hybrids.

2) For Edo period woodcuts of morning glories, go back to first link above, then scroll down to Image Archives box and click on Old Pictures

3) Further clicking around from the first link should lead you to a photogallery/textual explications of an encyclopedic array of morning glories of many species and cultivars. There’s one that has all the grace of a Japanese cut-leaf maple. And the flowers - I had no idea. I hope you explore this site.

Hi bluespiral - Glad to see that you are taking a close look at Dr.Yonedas crossing experiments of Ipomoea purpurea,Ipomoea hederacea and Ipomoea nil...including his notation that although he attempted to cross Ipomoea indica onto Ipomoea hederacea,the embryo ceased to develop at a very early stage...I always suggest these species that are known to be able to cross by professional intensive hand pollination,as a good starter for enthusiasts to 'get their feet wet' in any inter-specific crossings...
I would tend to reccommend leaving the Calystegia crossings to the pros,as many of the species in this genus are known to be very invasive...
Very good reference on the known Ipomoea interspecific hybrids in the ornamental species of Ipomoea that most of us grow...

Thanks Ron - haven't thought to try crossing morning glories this year, but maybe next year. The part of our garden getting the most sun is very small. To grow, say, a dozen kinds in a small space, do you prune the vines to a single stake? Other pruning techniques? Can you recommend a good source for unusual seed?

Have become besotted with garden design as found in old Asian woodcuts. Here's a wonderful japanese garden showing a technique for growing morning glories executed in 1884 by Kunichika titled Asagao in the Series called 54 Modern Feelings Matched with the Chapters of the Tale of Genji. The source is: http://www.artsanddesignsjapan.com/view.php?t=&c=44&b=1&n=9

Hi bluespiral,
Here is a Thread that Gerris 2 started with lots of great information
"Japanese pruning techniques for morning glories"
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/481061/

Emma

Thank you Emma - I believe I'm getting hooked - thought I was past any more flower addictions - hah!

bluespiral - I don't find the need to prune,but don't let that stop you(!) from experimenting with pruning techniques...

I am tending to think that trading with some of the good folks here would be a good source for 'unusual' seed...

The Ipomoea nil x Ipomoea purpurea youjiro types are interesting...the names are Chiaki(medium blue),Mai Sugata(darker blue), Yagaruma aka Yaguruma(reddish),and Sayaka(pink)...and the Mt.Fuji series of youjiros "Fuji no Beni","Fuji no Momo",Fuji no Sora","Fuji no Murasaki","Fuji no AO" and "Fuji no Mine"...

Hope that helps...


This message was edited May 20, 2007 4:55 AM

Ron, ahem. Now that you mention it, would you or anyone reading this thread like to trade the above-mentioned morning glory seeds for the following? --

I have one each of the following rooted:
Thunbergia alata 'Raspberry Smoothie'
creeping white torenia (wonderful in pot weaving with parsley)
double white impatiens

seed:
Salvia forskaohlii (spelling?)

I have other plants, so let me know if there's anything else you're looking for.

If y'all don't mind, when I post on this forum, I'll share morning glory art from around the globe. I order them in my database by artist's last names first, so this one's labeled -- KasonSuzuki_MorningGlory_1860_1919_c1900 I put a code for the source in there, too, which you might like to do if you decide to save these in a file - I love the way they are illuminated from behind on the 'puter screen as "wallpaper" (awful word for this purpose, sorry) or as a "slide show". This one came from: http://hotei-japanese-prints.com/indices/paintingindexf.html

Blue Spiral, thanks so much for posting the link at top. I spent as much time as I had, was so very interesting.

I don't have anything right now to trade, but would love to have a start of you creeping white torenia. Would be more than happy to pay postage or whatever.

Have a busy day today, dental appt. at 9:00, then Senior Center, where I am pres. then Gardenclub meeting. So must go feed my birds and leave.

Thanks again for the link. DonnaS

bluespiral,
[waving hand wildly]
Yes I would love your seeds that you've listed,
and have been wanting seeds of Thunbergia alata 'Raspberry Smoothie'
I have about 3 different Yojiro's, and can provide you the exact names. However, I also have one that Ron tells me has 'no name'. It is a 'Baby Blue with Pink' color and very pretty!
I probably have seeds now of each already collected.
Emma

Donna and Emma (chortling gleefully) y'all have a deal!

Donna will send you a rooted cutting of the white creeping torenia, as well as a few unrooted cuttings of same for postage.

Emma, will send you seeds of Salvia forskaohlii and a rooted cutting of Thunbergia alata 'Raspberry Smoothie' for seed of the morning glories you listed. Could you Dmail me your mailing address?

I'll try to get them off to you in tomorrow's mail and will confirm through Dmail if I do.

When I grow these MGs next year, in order to save seeds true to their parents, should I do anything special to keep them from crossing with any of their cousins in the vicinity? I have to confess, our yew hedge is lively with MGs 'Kniola's Black' and 'Scarlet O'Hara' and autumn clematis and a Cushaw winter squash and to preserve my dignity, I won't tell you what else.

Thanks for the trade - Karen

This message was edited Sep 13, 2005 1:41 AM