Garden Morning Glory

It is an herbaceous annual or perennial twining liana growing to 2–4 m (7–13 ft) tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, 3–7 cm (1–3 in) long with a 1.5–6 cm (1⁄2–2+1⁄2 in) long petiole. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, 4–9 cm (2–4 in) in diameter, most commonly blue with a white to golden yellow centre. I. tricolor and many rarer species of morning glory, contain ergoline alkaloids, predominantly ergine. Some supermarkets have stopped carrying I. tricolor seeds because of this.

In cultivation, the species is very commonly grown misnamed as Ipomoea violacea, which is actually a different, though related, species. I. tricolor does not tolerate temperatures below 5 °C (41 °F), and so in temperate regions is usually grown as an annual. It is in any case a relatively short-lived plant. It prefers a warm, sheltered, sunny position such as a south- or west-facing wall. Ingesting any part of the plant may cause discomfort. Numerous cultivars of I. tricolor with different flower colours have been selected for use as ornamental plants; widely grown examples include:

The cultivar 'Heavenly Blue' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Weed control. Ipomoea tricolor has phytotoxic effects which inhibit seedling growth in weeds. In Mexico, farmers promote the growth of I. tricolor as a cover plant. It prevents weeds and unwanted plants from growing. When it is time to plant crops, this plant is incorporated into the soil. Although it is toxic to weeds, it does not affect crops such as sugarcane.

Chemical deterrent used to discourage ingestion. It is rumored that I. tricolor seeds are coated with a chemical that induces sickness so as to dissuade people from using them as a drug, but this is probably a rumor that stems from several factors: - I. …