Beautiful or Destructive

I am moving a post that I had orginally put on the vine forum since this is more appropriate.

Hello everyone. This is my first time of this forum, but I figured that I would come to the experts.

I am considering adding some morning glories to my garden this year. Although I love their look, I have never actually grown them. I have heard that they can be terribly invasive as well, so I am somwhat leary about using them. I am wondering if they would be invasive in my zone or is it more the temperate/hot areas. Our winters can get into the twenties and thirties, and we do have snow, so unless this is a hardy vine, I am assuming that it would die back each year, and thus eliminate the possibility of becoming invasive.

I am located just outside of Washington DC.

Good morning, Pennefeather - a big welcome to the MG forum :)

With approximately 50 genera and 1,000 species of morning glories, there are many differences among them. The commonly grown cultivars belonging to Ipomoea nil (see http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=Ipomoea&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=nil&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search ) and Ipomoea tricolor ( http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=Ipomoea&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=tricolor&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search ) are not known to self-sow very much, if at all, in Virginia. There is a commonly grown large-flowered, white, fragrant, night-blooming moonflower (I. alba http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/893/ ) that isn't known to self-sow in Virginia, if at all - either.

Cultivars of Ipomoea purpurea ( http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=Ipomoea&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=purpurea&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search ), however, do self-sow but not to the extent of being a really bad invasive like species of Calystegia that return from horribly persistent roots after Virginia winters ( see http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=3311001 for this one and others). Some folks around here do find I. purpurea cultivars to self-sow to the extent of being a nuisance, but that depends on how much they come under their spell of enchantment, and then - for others - these don't self-sow at all. Other lovely MG species that can self-sow around here (much to the delight of some gardeners) are Ipomoea quamoclit and I. sloteri (much to the delight of hummingbirds); and then there are varieties of I. hederifolia ( http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=Ipomoea&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=hederifolia&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search ) that I strongly hope will self-sow around here, too, with their cascading clusters that remind me of meteor showers.

A great thread on invasives that might answer your question in greater depth is: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/704134/ . Let me call your attention to one post in particular in this thread in which Ron gives a very comprehensive list of MG species with respect to their invasive or non-invasive qualities: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=3439982 . These species are all worth checking out in DG PlantFiles for the incredible range of their respective unique beauties.

I've hardly scratched the surface, but with so many heart-breakingly beautiful morning glories to choose from, I'm sure this forum can get you hooked in no time.

Karen

This message was edited Jan 3, 2008 6:18 AM

Bravo Karen! Your post would be a good one for the sticky thread! Thanks for posting all that info and the links! You ROCK!!! :-)

GREAT sticky thread!!!!

Looks like we'll get something done in spite of pokey ol' grouchy me - lol

Thanks, Penne, you helped out here more than you might suspect.

Karen blue - you DO rock. This is a great thread with awesome links...

Joanne Ü

Karen,
ditto on the links, they help me alot also.
Thank you.
A.

"I'm sure this forum can get you hooked in no time."

Believe Karen when she says this!!