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todancewithwolves

Talk to me about Ipomoea alba

todancewithwolves
14 years ago

I bought two Giant White Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) at Annie's. They are growing like crazy in the little plastic pots. I must plant them but I'm too nervous as I know nothing about the plant. I get mixed info on google.

Where should I plant it? Sun, Shade?

Soil requirements?

Water requirements?

Do any of you grow them? Do you have pictures?

Thank you!

Edna

Comments (9)

  • lvtgrdn
    14 years ago

    Hi Edna,
    I grow it on the west side of our deck, so it gets full sun. The roots grow under our deck, so they don't dry out as much as they would if the roots were in the full sun. I was going to try to plant seeds instead of getting it already started, but there was a critter of some kind digging in that area to get under the deck, and our dog was stepping on the area, too. We have either morning glories or some moonflower vine coming up. It grows larger than morning glory vines.

    I am taking a short break from my house cleaning, so didn't try to figure out if I remember how to post photos here. I posted some photos of moonflower vine on my blog. I don't know if they are the Giant Whites, though. I wonder if they grow in different conditions in different zones.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Moonflower Vine

  • Annie
    14 years ago

    I grew Moonflower vine many ears ago. It did not reseed like most morning glories, thank goodness. I grew it up onto a wire arch in full sun (south side). I grew strawberries under it and cucumbers on the other side (north) in shade. It was very fragrant every evening when the blooms opened or on cloudy days, and they glowed in the dark by the light of the moon. It attracted pollinating moths. Very cool. Even the hummingbirds liked it.

    Good soil will produce more flowers. Root system does not go deep, but spreads out close to the surface, so needs to be watered regularly if you don't get rain. Mulch will help retain the moisture it needs and will keep its roots cool. It will grow in poorer soils, but will be somewhat stunted.

    That was my experience. I loved it.
    ~Annie

  • Annie
    14 years ago

    Uh...that's "many years ago", not "ears ago". :)
    (hehehe)

  • todancewithwolves
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    *LOL* Annie. I didn't even catch that until you said something.

    Thanks ladies for the info. I'm really excited about these plants. Hopefully it'll be a perennial in my area verses what I read of it being a annual. We'll see. I thought about growing it on a trellis around my bedroom window but that area gets full shade.

    Thank you, lvtgrdn , for the pictures. I loved looking and reading everything.

    I would still love to see more pictures.

  • natal
    14 years ago

    Mine grow along a fence that gets sun most of the day. In years past I'd find a lot of volunteers in late spring/early summer, but this year only a couple appeared. I finally planted a few seeds just to make sure I'd have flowers come August.

    Here is a link that might be useful: photos from 2007

  • iris_9
    14 years ago

    Edna, I'm in the same zone as you, and I start moonflower from seeds every year around the first part of May. I plant one by the gazebo and by the fall its covering the top. It gets morning sun. I have that area amended with compost. Mine doesn't bloom until late summer but its worth waiting for! It dies down with the first frost and doesn't come back. I've tried saving the seed, but they don't germinate for me so I just buy a new seed packet every year.

  • lvtgrdn
    14 years ago

    Natl's blooms look double, or ruffled. They sure are pretty! Mine were flatter, closer to what the datura kind of moonflowers look like.

  • token28001
    14 years ago

    Mine have done nothing this year. I planted my own seeds, seeds from trades, and finally purchased another pack. They're all less than a foot tall and none have started to vine. Last year, pictures taken in June show it was almost 6' tall. Must have been the cooler spring and rain. They get about 5 hours of sun a day. I hope to get a few blooms before they die back.

  • natal
    14 years ago

    Lvtgrdn, none of those were fully open when I shot the photos. Here's a link to another year and a couple completely open.

    Here is a link that might be useful: moonflowers

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