I'm very fond of Morning Glories and have always planted the Heavenly Blue ones. Wanting to try something different , for a change, and looking at Swallowtail's "Grandpa Otts", "Hazelwood Blues" and "La Vie En Rose" selections - trying to make up my mind. Anyone tried these or might want to suggest something else. For awhile I was leaning toward red ones, but have enough red with the KnockOut Roses, red petunias and geraniums.
My wife likes to grow the same thing every year, but I like to try something different. Would appreciate any ideas you might have.
Talking to several members in past few days and enjoying this website immensly. Joined a couple of years ago, but only now becoming a little vocal.

Have you tried any of the Japanese Morning Glories? There are some real beauties, but they take a bit more care. I really like this one, the variegated foliage is pretty in and of itself: Japanese Morning Glory (Ipomoea nil 'Yoi no Tsuki')
Another that is really striking is the Blue Shibori. (Swallowtail Seeds sells them as Venice Blue ). They're one of my favorites.

Woofie and Don,

Do your Morning Glories reseed themselves?

Daisy

Woofie - Now you got me going on the Japanese morning glories! Yes, I had noticed Swallowtail's Venice Blue as well as Venice Pink (another two that I liked). Tried to find a seed source for I. nil 'Yoi no Tsuki', but haven't found one yet. Do you know of one. After receiving your response I have googled the Japenese ones and sort of like the star shaped ones. Now I'm in a quandry. Still have time to make a decision as won't be sowing any seeds for some time yet. I have never tried Swallowtail Seeds, but thought I would give them a short this year. Thanks for your timely response.

Daisy - none of my morning glories have ever reseeded themselves, but my zone is 5b with winter temps getting down to zero F or below at times - also live on top of a till where the winter winds really blow. I have read comments from some that they reseed themselves to the extent they become a nuisance. About the only reseeding I've experienced are Calendulas - which I enjoyed the reseeding.

Thanks for the response Don. So what you are saying is that your Morning Glory seeds only become a nuisance to the people downwind from you?

I love Morning Glories but have been concerned about the nuisance factor. At our previous home in CA, I only planted them once and then spent the rest of the years pulling them up. Same with Calendulas and Love in a Mist.

I wonder if it gets cold enough in Reno to kill the seeds?

Daisy

Daisy - No, I didn't mean the morning glory seeds were blown downwind; I only meant that I never noticed them reseeding themselves at all. As a rule, I don't like too much the idea of my plants reseeding themselves, as I like to try something a little different each year and at my current home I don't have a lot of extra gardening space. There are dozens of plants that I haven't yet had the pleasure of trying. A native of NW PA, most of my gardening has been here, but just returned north after living and gardening (a lot of new things) in Charlotte, NC for nearly 20 years where I had the luxury of a long, long growing season and many plants and shrubs that I couldn't grow back home in Penna.

The Heavenly Blue's (Ipomoea tricolor) don't reseed here, or at least very rarely. And I've never had an I. nil reseed. But the Ipomoea purpureas most definitely do. Oh, and Don, Swallowtail Seeds is an excellent vendor. I still have some seeds from my Yoi no Tsukis, but I don't know if they're still good. Another one that I really like (but it's an I. purpurea and I get volunteers every year) is Jamie Lynn. The photos don't do it justice; the flowers have an opalescent look to them that's hard to capture. Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea 'Jamie Lynn')

Don, when I lived in Utah I planted Heavenly Blue one year, they produced seed generously (luckily they were in an enclosed planter with concrete around it) My kids had fun collecting seeds, and the seedlings that grew the next year produced dark blue/purple flowers with pink throats, much like the Grandpa Ott's. Every year after that I had the same dark color, but I liked them so I never planted any others. Guess the Heavenly Blue color trait is a recessive, and the dark blue is the dominant trait.

Just suggesting you could collect some seeds from the ones you grow this year, before pulling up the vines in fall, and you'd probably get other colors next year from those seeds. A surprise is always fun and free seeds, too.

I've had a few Nils reseed here but never a problem and a nice suprise. Tricolor has never reseeded for me. I love purpureas. They can be a nuisance but I just pull them out where I don't want them.

Don I have so many I can share with you send me a t mail before you buy any.

Hi Elaine, Woofie and Ronnie - great to hear from all of you. ATP is the friendliest gardening website that I've come across and I've tried more than a few of them. I don't have any seeds to share yet, but when I do I will be certain to pass them along to other interested members - as a couple of you have done for me. Have been googling the purpureas and Jamie Lynn - just darn too many appealing looking ones.

Hope to keep in touch. I have a lot of other interests too - too many to mention at the moment, but will catch up later on.

Don

Hi Don,

Great you want to add some different MG's to your garden. Three of my favorites are Chocolate , Sunrise Serenade and
Moon Flowers I just love the XL white bloom at night and the Lunar Moths that visit them

Shannon

I really like Swallowtail Seeds and have had some real successes with their seeds. I have not had a lot of success with the japanese morning glories. What I am fond of is Thunbergia (Black-eyed susan vine), I can't get enough of it and they are perennial here in no freeze California. However they will grow as an annual and I find them charming. I also noticed they have Mina lobata (firecracker vine) this is also a good annual vine, very different flowers, yellow and red. Good luck with your new vines, I try new ones every year.

Shannon - just googled Chocolate and Sunrise Serenade MG - I agree with you about liking them. I liked the Chocolate more, but will have to wait until next year for them - already committed to something else this year.

My problem (among others) is that I like too many different plants and varieties - would like to have them all NOW but with my limited energy, space and money I realize that's not possible. Never have tried Moon flowers but have seen them in friends' gardens.

Another favorite plant of mine is Datura - I had white ones last year (they bloomed their heads off) and looking forward to trying the purple and yellow ones - perhaps next year. Datura blooms only last one day also, but they are worth it.

It was nice chatting with you and hope to keep in touch.
I find that ATP is sure a friendly place and have already met a lot of nice, helpful and generous members.

Don

Dee, thanks for your message. I have tried the Black Eyed Susan vine before and really liked it, but the Firecracker vine is new to me. I like the color combination of yellow, red, and orange and will have to give this vine a try - but afraid maybe will have to wait until next year - already running out of trellis space with all my other "got-to-haves" - sure you know how that goes.

Have received several favorable reports on Swallowtail - I'm going to give them a shot this year - just need to finalize on my choices - keeping my limited gardening space in proper perspective.

Nice talking to you and looking forward to hearing from you again.

Don

Ronnie, I like your Great Dane image and other members' images. How do you do that (in simple laymen's terms)? My image is an acorn (apparently the default one) assigned to new members by All Things Plants.

I haven't given much thought yet about what image I'd like to have, but just curious of how to do it.

Would appreciate your help.

Don

Don over on the left of you screen you will see a row of images...click on the little head and that will bring you to your profile page click on "Change your public profile" and you will have the option to change things and add things...your profile pic can be uploaded there.

Gosh, I love the Japanese Morning Glories (Ipomoea nil x). 'Chocolate' reseeds prolifically for me, but I love it so much..?.the neighbors do, too. I dig up plants for them to grow. I also grow 'Jamie Lynn', and last year they completely covered my Holly Bush! Gorgeous. I have one that crossed in my former garden, but I keep encouraging it because it's a color/shade I haven't seen. I call it my dusky lavender blue jeans and it is very pretty. I have grown the Kikyo Blue Picotee in the past. But let me say that if you want to grow the JMGs, I would get my seeds from EmmaGrace's eBay store. She was on GW for many years, DG, and other forums. She is located in Texas and has been breeding JMGs for a very long time. She has produced some of the most stunning hybrids - they will make you gasp! Her seeds are very reasonably priced and extremely viable. You can find her by googling "jmglvr eBay". Her website is temporarily unavailable til March 7. She vacays a lot. But definitely check her out.

Susan

Susan, thanks for your information and help. Up until a few weeks ago my idea of morning glories was Heavenly Blue. Never even heard of the Japanese ones until several members on ATP told me about them. I will be sure to check out the website you mentioned when it reopens on March 9th. Someone else mentioned the Chocolate and I googled it and really liked it too. Makes me wish I had several more trellises for the morning glories - will have to see how I can improvise.

Don

All those morning glories are gorgeous. But my house is on the west side of my split rail fence. It makes for great sunrises but I would spend the summer looking at back side of the morning glory flowers. Its why I gave up on Clematis.

Susan is right: Emma Grace has wonderful MG seeds and is very nice to deal with. Isn't she the one who developed Jamie Lynn?