Ipomoea cairica

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipomoea_cairica

It seems there's a perennial version of morning glory. Any advantage in growing it - will it overwinter here with protection - it's a terrible weed in some places. Would there be a chance of getting much earlier flowers from an overwintered root.

Any experiences? @longk, maybe?

 

I know that some people are growing I.indica as a perennial down in the south west. I have seeds for I.alba, but they're proving to be a boogger to germinate!
As far as earlier flowers go, I doubt it. Probably later. The advantage would be that once in growth an established tuber will form a much more vigorous plant.

 

I've grown Indica/purpurea or whatever for years, I overwinter it as cuttings and usually one larger plant to take over from the two year old one, if that makes sence.

I find small cuttings really need one season to get going.

It never flowers very early for me, usually best in August/ Sept/Oct, up until first frost.
I think it flowers according to day length, but I could be wrong on that.

 

You know that you're right!
It makes sense too as the nearer to the equator you get the more constant daylight hours are.

 

I think quite often plants from warmer places dont really like our very long summer days, and often they tend to flower or grow better in late summer as the days shorten.

 

Totally agree. I had Salvia elegans blooming well right up to Christmas and it's budding up really nicely at the moment too, but I know that by mid summer it'll be bare of blooms.

 

I never thought of day length as a factor. I assumed it took my May-sown annual MGs several months to get going, including the heat of mid-summer. They usually start looking seedy by the end of September. Apparently I. tricolor which I normally grow might be perennial.

 

Several months??!! A few weeks in my experience. Sue has a fantastic display by mid June and she simply relies on self seeding.

I believe that I'm correct in saying that it is a tuberous species, so given a couple of years growing under good conditions and a good spot thereafter I see no reason why not. Doubt that it would be reliably hardy though.

 

Hmm. Sown in May I wouldn't expect to see flowers till July despite the fact that it grows fast. But then, I don't think I'm very green-fingered. I've never known it self-seed here.

 

Here's a photo of a bit of Sues Morning Glory arch taken at the end of July..................


For scale, the wall is two metres tall. The arch is 3m x 3m in total. East facing. All self seeded.

 

When do the seedlings first appear? You are only a little way south of me. Maybe I should scatter some about and see what happens?

 

The first ones started a week or so ago.

I reckon that you're at least as warm as us, if not warmer in the winter.

Grow as you normally would and let them drop the seed naturally this year, saving just a few indoors as back-up. Unless you collected enough last year to have a healthy surplus to try.

 

I have always assumed that many species of Ipomea are perennial - albeit tender, In fact I believe that some can be very invasive in warmer climates.

They also seem to be sensitive to heat. Its often said that they don't grow well in the North, because of the cold, but do grow well in the south. One did very well for me in a hot summer several years ago, but never did well afterwards.

 

I. indica is perennial here against a SE facing wall. Very vigorous, too! I tried I. carnea from seed last year but the plants didn't survive, even in a cool greenhouse.
No problems germinating I. alba under heat (25C), so if anyone wants fresh seed, PM me
As suggested, I let I. purpurea self-sow. They're later than if sown under heat (the first seedlings are just appearing now) but much healthier as they don't have to hang around in pots.

 

I've managed to get one solitary Ipomoea quamoclit to germinate. Weird leaves