During the Middle Ages people, the people, especially monks, who cultivated monastic gardens, often named plants to connect them to the attributes of the Virgin Mary and to the life of Christ. When early explorers and settlers came to the New World they continued this practice and associated native wild plants with symbolic names. The morning glory with its bell-like shape of wide open petals was thought to resemble the cloak or mantle that Mary traditionally wore and the plant became known as Our Lady’s mantle. Just as the mantle provided protection for Mary, Mary provides protection for the faithful. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
This tender perennial vine is native to the tropics of the New World. It is a member of the Convolvulaceae family that also includes sweet potato, cypress vine, and dodder. The plant grows up to 13′ long and has alternate, heart-shaped leaves that are 3-6″ long. Beginning in mid summer large buds open in the morning into trumpet-shaped flowers 1-2″ across in white, or shades of blue or pink with white and yellow centers. By noon the flowers begin to fade but the process begins again each day and continues until frost.
Morning glories can be grown as perennials in full sun and average, medium moist, well-drained soil in USDA hardiness zones 9-11 but elsewhere they have to be grown as annuals. Too much fertilizer leads to lush foliage growth at the expense of flowers. Plants have no significant pests or diseases and may be propagated by seed, nicked and soaked over night. They tend to reseed and can become weedy but are valued for their lush foliage and flowers that attract hummingbirds. The vines are best grown on a trellis or arbor where they grow upward by twinning.
The genus name Ipomea comes from the Greek words ips meaning worm and homoios meaning resembling, and refers to the twining stems of the plant. The specific epithet, tricolor, comes from the Latin words tres, meaning three, and color meaning color or hue and probably refers to the three colors present in the flowers.
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