Ipomoea hederacea is an annual species of morning glory. It is known that it comes from the Americas, but from what exact part is still disputed; some say it is from the Eastern United States, while others say it is from South America. It is most closely related to the conventional morning glories, Ipomoea nil and purpurea (it also hybridizes with them, but hybrids with purpurea are sterile). Unlike its close relatives, Ipomoea hederacea is rarely cultivated, and in fact is most often viewed as a weed, especially in agricultural settings, where it easily climbs up other plants.

It is a vigorous climber with seeds that can remain viable in the soil for up to 10 years or more. The leaves are three-pointed and hairy, and the flowers are purple or a vibrant blue, trumpet-shaped with a white or yellow interior. The flowers are only open in the morning (hence the name "morning glory"), and soon give way to many small capsules containing many tiny black seeds.

Ipomoea hederacea is listed as a noxious weed in several states and should be avoided if you cannot control it. Its seeds have a high germination rate, the plant climbs vigorously, and the plant reseeds a lot. If you want to grow it, you can keep it under control by deadheading (removing faded blooms) so that the plant does not become a weed.

If you want to grow it, scarify and start the seeds indoors a few weeks before the last frost, and transplant outside when there is no more danger of frost. This plant grows very quickly and will scramble over everything in its path, so do NOT plant it near any other plants. In a few months, the plant should start flowering. The flowers are only open in the morning, and are gone by the afternoon. Remove spent flowers to prevent new plants from popping up in your garden. If you want to save a few seeds for next year, leave 1-3 capsules and pluck them when they are ripe.

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