I noticed some confusion in older threads and offer this little bit of information to clear things up and for our collective understanding.
My own garden is going on its second generation of volunteers from an initial purchase of Heavenly Blue (Ipomoea Tricolor) and Crimson Rambler(Ipomoea Purpurea) from an organic vendor.
After three years of cultivation I can attest to the following observations, use them as you see fit:
The two have distinct seeds, with the HB more pointed and almost tooth shaped and the CR more rounded.
The two species have distinct guide leaves that make them easy to identify when seedlings. The HB have a pointed almost aggressive shape with the CR following a more familiar rounded shape.
Each species will grow beautiful heart shaped leaves. I noticed the plants that receive irrigation from my garden sprinkler grow into large hearts bigger than my entire outstretched hand on the oldest vines. Contrast that with the leaves of plants outside my irrigation that stay around the size of a half dollar at best. Without hyperbole it’s a threefold increase in size easily and of course the irrigated ones flower longer and more abundantly while remaining relatively the same size. Both species will produce beautiful short lived flowers from July well into early October in the 7 Zone. Coincidentally I do not find the CR flowers crimson at all. They are a dark magenta at best for my particular cultivar.
One way to distinguish the two in the absence of flowers is the vine stem itself. On the CR it will be coarse and covered in fine hairs, not unlike cucumbers. The HB vines are hairless and of a darker brownish/burgundy color. (see Pic)
On harvesting, a few weeks after the flower dies, a soft green seed pod will replace it. The seeds are not viable in the green seed pod and at least some time must pass before the seeds mature. I wait until the end of winter before I harvest the seeds. Late winter is good time because the pods have hardened and tearing away the vines is a good way to save seeds for future use and also shake enough free to elicit volunteers. The seeds come four or five to a pod and this thing flowers constantly so I f I had to guess, a single plant should yield about 250-300 seeds. I harvested the entire pods at first but found it easier if I just pinched the hardened pods and expressed the seeds into a container.
The morning glory is one of my favorites and has shown itself to be a strong ally. If I have forgot something or you have a particular question please feel free.
-Ian
Author
Topic: Some Morning Glory information (Read 4420 times)