100 Seeds

Bring a delicate beauty to your summer morning when you grow Shiva Morning Glories. Commonly seen decorating fences, railings, and trellises, the Shiva Morning Glory flowering vine will rapidly climb nearly any available surface.  Its blooms only last for one day, with its peak being early in the morning before the sun reaches a high point in the sky.  However, it grows so quickly and is such a prolific bloomer that each day will bring new flowers to enjoy.

About the Shiva Morning Glory

While its scientific name is the Ipomoea Purpurea, this lovely variety of Morning Glory is simply known as the Shiva Morning Glory.  This perennial cultivar blooms in shades of snow white to palest pink, with slightly darker pastel pink lines forming a star shape on the single, round petal.  Each pale, delicate blossom is between 2 and 3 inches wide at its peak.  The flowers are trumpet-shaped as they open, giving a wide, bright appearance in the early morning before they close again as the day grows warmer. 

This heirloom flowering vine grows rapidly along fences, railings, trellis, and exterior walls, and it reaches a length between 7 and 13 feet long.  The spade-shaped leaves are a vivid green, providing a lovely backdrop for the delicate white and pink flowers.  

Growing the Shiva Morning Glory

Once planted, the Shiva Morning Glory requires little to no care to thrive.  In a very short period, the flowering vine can establish itself and begin climbing and producing lovely flowers in the morning.  Even beginning gardeners can grow the vine from a seed easily, though it should be noted that the seed casings are very hard, and soaking them before planting can help them germinate.  

As a matter of fact, the Shiva Morning Glory grows so easily, gardeners need to take care to not plant other flowers near it as the Morning Glories can run over other plants.  In some areas, Morning Glories are considered a "pest" or invasive, due to how quickly it grows and spreads.  In a private garden, however, it is simply a lovely flowering vine that brings a delicate beauty to the garden from early summer until a frost.  

The Shiva Morning Glory doesn't work well as a cut flower or in cut displays.  The delicate nature and short life of the bloom, combined with the softness of the vine doesn't lend itself to vases or displays.  However,  this can be a nice addition to a hanging basket display with the vine trailing down from the basket.

History of the Morning Glory 

Morning Glories are originally from China, where the seeds were used as treatment for digestive ailments.  As early as the Ninth Century, Morning Glories were grown for decoration in Japan, and hundreds of varieties were cultivated.  They are frequently depicted in historic Japanese artwork where they symbolize summer.

While the Shiva Morning Glory is solely decorative, certain varieties of the Morning Glory are edible.  Throughout Asia, the Water Morning Glory is part of traditional cuisine.  The Ipomoea Aquatica is a green vegetable known as water spinach, ong choy, or even swamp cabbage.  Sweet potatoes, or Ipomoea Batatas, aren't typically thought of as Morning Glories, but they are part of the same genus, and the flowering sweet potato vine does have many similar characteristics.  

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If you want to create a shady spot with a trellis, dress up an old fence, or simply adorn a porch railing, the Shiva Morning Glory is an excellent option.  Able to thrive in nearly any conditions or environment, gardeners of all skill level should have no trouble growing this surprisingly hardy vine.  These gorgeous, delicate flowers will make any morning a glorious one.

Sowing The Seed

Morning Glory seeds should be prepped by a method of scarification and/or soaking, prior to sowing. Nick the seeds with sandpaper or a knife and soak in warm water, for 24 hours. If starting indoors, sow in peat pots, 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost. Place the seeds at a depth of 1/2" under topsoil. Transplant, or direct sow into the garden when the weather is warm and all danger of frost has passed.

Growing Conditions

Morning Glory plants will thrive in the heat of summer and prefer an area of full sunlight. Temperatures should be at least 70F or higher. The soil should be average to sandy, but also well drained. To increase drainage, we recommend adding a light compost to areas containing hard, compact soil. Water the seeds daily until germination has occurred, watering less frequently as time goes on. 

Germination & Growth

Morning Glory seeds typically germinate within roughly 7 to 14 days after sowing. The plants are known to grow and establish with the support of a fence or trellis. Each vine can grow to a mature length of 7 to 13 feet long, displaying large, trumpet shaped flowers all summer long. Each plant can be spaced about 18 to 24 inches apart, depending on the thickness of coverage you desire. Morning Glories are known to attract all sorts of beneficial insects to the garden, such as butterflies, bumblebees, honeybees & hummingbirds as well.