Moonvines

 

Here is my moonvine that is blooming now. It is an annual and a mixed up member of the morning glory family. It is Ipomoea calantha. Instead of opening in the morning it opens in early evening, about 6:15 CDST for me. The flowers unfurl rapidly enough for you to see them open.They release bit of sweet fragrance as they open. They should be planted where they can be easily enjoyed in the evenings. They are strong climbers and will scramble to the highest reaches of whatever they can find that accommodates their upward thrust.I have strings from the ground to the eaves of my porch on the sunny side. They provide some afternoon shade also. I can see them out my kitchen window in the evening as I prepare supper.These flowers are about 5 inches across.
Although moonvine seed can be difficult to germinate, you can grow them easily after germination. I soak my seed overnight beginning in hot water from the faucet. They next day I plant them, keep them moist, and as soon as they are up, jump back. They do grow rapidly. There is not much use to plant them early because like okra, they prefer hot weather. They usually begin to flower for me from a June planting in late July. They continue through August and the hot days of September.
I collect a small handful of seed for next year when I pull the vines down after frost. Some may fall and come up next year, but I have had only limited luck with leaving them to their own devices and prefer the insurance of saving my seed. Besides, I might want to share some .