help choosing a MG for my MIL

My mother-in-law has a wrought iron gate in the front of her courtyard that is about 4'wide and 8' high. She wants something to grow up it to shield some wind that comes through and to give her some privacy from the neighbors. It is north facing and she lives in Dallas, TX. She came to my house and was admiring a native morning glory vine that I have that runs rampant up a cedar tree. She was thinking about that for her courtyard but I advised her against it as I really have to work to keep that vine in bounds. It sends out tons of runners and , as she is older, I don't think she will really be up to wrestling with a real rambunctious vine. Can anyone give me any suggestions on what would be good for her to grow that is a quick grower, compact variety and is not tempermental. She is willing to have the soil amended for whatever and it is on a sprinkler system. Thanks,
Annie

Annie,

What is her favorite color? I take it might be blue like the perennial vine you mentioned?

Joseph

Maybe a passiflora(passion vine) or moonflower vine instead of the morning glories? I live about an hour north of Dallas & both do well here & don't tend to come back as heavily as the morning glories & the moonflower vine comes in different colors (I have white ones) & put off a heavenly smell & huge (8" to 10" flowers) at night.

Joseph - I do think she loves the blue. Cats - I have several passifloras down here, too. There are so many varieties - do you know which one you have that does well? I could also plant a moonflower along side it so she has something in the evening, too. And do you happen to know a good nursery in the north Dallas area that would carry them? Any of the Calloways, I presume?

If you want an easy one that is vey much available, Heavenly Blue has a strikingly nice blue flower.

Joseph,
I read up on the Heavenly Blue in the plant files and while everyone says the flower is beautiful, they talk about how invasive it can be. Should she grow it in a container to try and minimize this? Or is the seed the problem and a container wouldn't help?
Annie

Any MG will make a boatload of seeds. Maybe 2 boatloads. Maybe you should look at a different vine species?

Thanks. Maybe she needs a passiflora instead. Thanks for all of your help.
annie

AnnieJo - Thanks for your inquiry...I appreciate the efforts of the other respondents to address your questions although my experience and opinion differs as per several important aspects that are "of the essence" related to your interest and potential concerns...

Ipomoea tricolor as listed in the PlantFiles is not considered to be invasive by the vast majority of people commenting on their experience...in point of fact the word 'invasive' appears exactly 3 times in the commentary section...2 people state that it is NOT invasive and the person in Illinois who states that it is invasive is apparently very mistaken in my opinion...
Ipomoea purpurea is very often mislabeled as Ipomoea tricolor...and although Ipomoea purpurea will successfully self re-sow in colder climates > Ipomoea tricolor will NOT...

Ipomoea tricolor prefers climates with abundant rainfall and rarely resows to become a nuisance much at all in hot dry climates...

Ipomoea tricolor Heavenly Blue - particularly striking when planted with other colors of Ipomoea tricolor for contrast
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/31977/

Ipomoea tricolor "Flying Saucers"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/51630/

Ipomoea tricolor "Blue Star"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/51633/

Ipomoea tricolor "Pearly Gates"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/51632/

Ipomoea tricolor "Wedding Bells"
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/51634/

Ipomoea nil double kikyo produce few seeds
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/96510/

Ipomoea nil - unless provided with TLC these are very rarely (!) invasive in hot arid climates...
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=cultivar&images_prefs=with&Search=Search

I believe that a reconsideration for MG's in in order...

Hope the information that I shared proves to be accurate and helpful...

TTY,...

Ron

Ron,
Thanks so much for all of the wonderful information and links. That Ipomoea nil souble kikyo is gorgeous! If I don't get one for my MIL, I at least need to have one! I will show her these pictures. Thank you.
Annie

I have a dark purple passiflora here that puts off dozens of trailers (it's easy to either pull them off or mow them down if the grow where you don't want them too ) & have some seeds left over from last year's moonflowers(actually not to late to start from seed-just have to nick the tip w/a pair of nail clippers,soak about 24 hours in some water & toss into the spot you want them to grow - I usually plant 2 or 3 seeds in the same place & when the pop up just thin to the healthiest plant -- mine where started over a month ago & are just now really starting to grow -they like a nice warm soil to grow) & will gladly send you some of both if you'll provide me w/ a shipping address. I'll try to start the passiflora from a rooting but they do just as well taking a cut & sticking it into a cup of water till roots form & send you the 1/2 dozen or so of the moonflower seeds to try. Hey free plants & nothing expected in return - just the hopes that your mom's garden looks great! Will add that I got some of the blue MG's from a nieghbor's mailbox last year (was all whites & blues last year) & drove by it the other day & they are red this year & have 4 o'clok's growing in there as well - stopped toask her what the deal was & she said that's the way they came back! Same here at my house - MG's can be 1 color 1 year & a whole different flower the next year if they get cross pollinated & the purples & reds are the dominant color of the species.Anyway if you want the flowers & seed send me & Dmail & I'll get them to you ASAP.

I have both Passiflora and MGs as well as many other vines growing in my yard. The MGs (hands down) are the most gorgeous of any of these vines. I. nils also don't seem to reseed and grow as well as I. purpurea. I had some I. purpurea and I. nils growing on my patio last year. Seeds from all fell to the ground. The I. purpurea is the only one that has germinated and grown. None of the I. nils have germinated. So please do consider the larger and very beautiful I. nils as well for your mother-in-law's garden. They come in so many colors and color pattern combos that she won't be disappointed. I will warn you though ... they are like Pringles ... you can't have just one! LOL!

Good luck!

This message was edited Jun 19, 2008 4:17 PM

Thanks, Becky. I definitely will!!! And consider some for myself as well!