Ipomoea

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names

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Read about Ipomoea in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Ipomoea (according to Linnaeus from ips, bindweed, and homoios, like, because of its resemblance to Convolvulus; but ips is a worm). Including Batatas, Operculina, and Pharbitis. Convolvulaceae. Morning-glory. Moonflower. Annual or perennial herbs, mostly twining, rarely trees (G.F. 7:364) or shrubs, widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions. They are remarkable for easy culture, quick growth and beautiful flowers; hence the genus includes several of our most popular plants for covering verandas and screening unsightly objects. The generic characters of Ipomoea are not clearly defined. It is distinguished from Convolvulus by having but 1 capitate or 2-3 globose stigmas, while Convolvulus has 2 linear or ovate stigmas. From Calonyction and Quamoclit it is distinguished by its funnelform corolla-tube and the stamens usually included. St. mostly slender, twining or climbing, sometimes prostrate, diffuse or erect: lvs. alternate, entire, lobed or parted, often varying greatly on the same plant: fls. usually showy, borne singly or in cymes on axillary peduncles; corolla funnelform, salverform or bell-shaped (in one species bag-shaped), the limb sometimes entire, but usually 5-angled or 5-lobed (a 5-petalled form of I. purpurea occurs as a monstrosity), red, purple, blue, white or yellow, in various shades and mixtures; calyx without the bracts at the base, which appear in some species of Convolvulus, but the outer sepals are commonly larger. The fls. of most species open in early morning and last but a few hours under bright sunlight, hence the popular name. A few open only at nightfall.—Over 400 species of which more than 200 occur in Trop. Amer., chiefly in Mex. "The Japanese morning-glories," also called "Imperial" and "Emperor" morning-glories, were introduced to the American trade from Japan in 1895. They are probably selected strains of I. hederacea, although some botanists consider them to be of hybrid origin, possibly I. hederacea X I. tricolor. Maximowicz referred them to I. hederacea, and this appears to be the more reasonable disposition. The culture of the "asagoa" in Japan amounted to a popular craze about 1830, the equivalent of 814 to $18 sometimes being paid for a single seed of the rare sorts. With political disturbances came a decline of interest, but more recently the popular fancy for morning-glories has again revived. The Japanese gardeners grow their plants almost entirely in pots, and by constant attention have made them vary into many curious oddities in flower and foliage. Several finely illustrated books on the morning-glory alone are published in Japan. See also "Century Magazine," 55:281 (1897). The Japanese ipomeas are sold in this country mostly in strains, each package of seed giving flowers of many forms and colors. There are some inferior strains offered, and the flowers from these are often disappointing; yet as a class the Japanese morning-glories are the most gorgeous and versatile of garden ipomeas. If the seeds are notched they will generally give bloom in six weeks from sowing. Morning-glories are among the least exacting of garden plants as regards soil and site. Most species love a strong soil and sunny site, with plenty of water; but they will make the best of much that is uncongenial. The seeds of the annual kinds may be sown directly out- of-doors, but are preferably started indoors, at least in the North. If the plants are allowed to become slightly pot-bound before being transplanted, they will come into bloom earlier. Germination may be hastened and also made more certain by filing a small notch in each seed, or by soaking the seeds in warm water about two hours. The "moonflower" and the "Japanese morning- glories" particularly are likely to germinate poorly unless these precautions are taken. The perennial ipomeas are grown from seeds in some cases, but mostly from cuttings of well-ripened wood, layers, or division of the rootstocks. Some of the greenhouse species, notably I. horsfalliae, rarely produce seed and are rooted from stem-cuttings with great difficulty. These are often propagated successfully by grafting well-ripened shoots on pieces of their own roots, or the roots of I. pandurata. I. ternata roots from cuttings more readily, and I. learii and I. jalapa are easily propagated from cuttings. The rapid growth and dense foliage of most garden ipomeas make them especially valuable for covering arbors, verandas, walls, and for screening unsightly objects. I. purpurea, I. tricolor, I. hederacea are the most popular annual species for this purpose; and I. learii, I. setosa and I. pandurata are among the best perennials. In the South, the perennials may be carried through the winter outside by cutting off the stems and mulching the roots heavily in the fall; in the North the tubers should be taken up and wintered like dahlias, keeping them perfectly dry in a cool greenhouse or frost-proof cellar. I. leptophylla is valuable for very dry soils. I. bona-nox (see Calonyction aculeatum) is worthy of a place in every garden. The tender perennials are seen to advantage when trained to pillars, trellises, or along the roof of a greenhouse. Their roots should be given plenty of room to forage and their tops to spread. I. horsfalliae and its closely related species, I. ternata, are very satisfactory for this purpose. After flowering, the strong shoots should be cut back and the plant rested. Several species, particularly I. learii, I. tricolor and I. hederacea, make excellent pot-plants if they are kept somewhat pot-bound to induce flowering. The roots of nearly all the perennial species are more or less purgative; particularly I. purga, from which comes the jalap of commerce, I. jalapa and I. cathartica. I. batatas is the common sweet potato. The trade names of ipomeas are endlessly mixed. Thus, I. mexicana of the catalogues may be I. hederacea, I. digitata, I. Jalapa, I. Bona-nox, I. learii or I. tricolor; but is rarely the true I. mexicana of Gray. "Moonflower" is often applied indiscriminately to several species of Ipomoea, but it should be restricted to species of Calonyction. It is evident that most of the plants now sold as I. grandiflora are forms of Calonyction aculeatum. I. hybrida is a trade name for strains of I. purpurea and I. tricolor. The "tree ipomoea" is I. fistulosa. The "Japanese" or "Imperial" morning-glories may be referred to I. hederacea. Other popular catalogue names arc: Double morning-glory is mostly I. purpurea fl.-pl.; Brazilian morning-glory is I. setosa; hardy or perennial moonflower is I. pandurata; Ipomoea, Heavenly Blue, is I. tricolor. Index. acetosaefolia, 8. alba, 10, 18, 19. angustifolia, 17. antillana, 28. arborescens, 5. atro-caerulea, 10. atro-sanguinea, 10. aurea, 21. azurea, 10. batatas, 33. bona-nox, 30. bonariensis, 25. briggsii, 19. carletonii, 1. carminata, 10. carnosa, 8. chrysantha, 27. chryseides, 27. corymbosa, 28. cymosa, 28. dealbata, 12. dickensonii, 10. digitata, 24. dissecta, 23. ferrandiana, 13. ficifolia, 25. filicaulis, 17. fistulosa, 4. flore-pleno, 10. foliis marmoratis, 13. fuchsioides, 15. goodellii, 4. grandiflora, 13,30. hederacea, 13. heterophylla, 9. hirsutula, 11. hookeri,18. horsfalliae, 19,20. huberi, 10. insignis, 24. integrifolium, 15. jalapa, 16, 29, 32. kermesina, 10. latifolia, 30. learii, 12,14. leptophylla,2. limbata, 13. lindheimeri, 9. lindleyana, 9. littoralis, 8. longifolia, 1. macrorhiza, 29. maritime, 7. marmorata, 13. mexicana, 11. michauxii, 29. microdactylum, 15. mutabilis, 12. nil, 13. palmata, 24. pandurata, 24. paniculata, 24. perringiana, 25. pes-caprae, 7. purge, 16. purpurea, 10. rosea, 10. rubro-caerulea, 18. sagittata, 26. scabra, 13. sellowii, 25. setose, 22. sidaefolia, 28. sinitata, 23. sinuate, 23. speciosa, 26. stans, 3. stolonifera, 8. ternata, 4. texana, 4. thomsoniana, 20. tricolor, 18. tuba, 30. varia, 10. ventricosa, 30. violacea fl-pl., 10. violacea-striata, 10. wolcottiana, 6. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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Ipomoea

Ipomoea imperati

Plant Info

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Convolvulaceae
Genus:	Ipomoea

Species

See text

The genus Ipomoea, with over 500 species, is the largest genus in the family Convolvulaceae. Most of the species bear the common name Morning Glory. The genus occurs throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, lianas, shrubs and small trees; most of the species are twining climbing plants. Many species are known as morning glory, a name shared with some other related genera.

The genus includes important food crops (sweet potato and water spinach) and I. violacea, source of the Mexican psychedelic drug, tlitliltzin. Species and cultivars of Ipomoea grown as morning glory are popular in gardens for their often stunning flowers.

Ipomoea species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Ipomoea.