Morning Glory Vines: Favorite Varieties for Trellises & Fences

Most of my favorite flowering vines belong to family Ipomoea. The common morning glory has ~300 relatives including sweet potato—many are twining climbers.

It'll be a jungle when my vines grow! Morning glory reaches 10+ feet in a season—popular "privy plant" in old days camouflaging outhouses.

As named, flowers open morning, fade afternoon. Vines wrap anything—wood, wire, string, each other.

In flower language: bonds and attachments.

Love heart-shaped leaves and sky-blue 'Clarke's Heavenly Blue'—but colors vary.

Rich wine-red 'Scarlett O'Hara' with pure white throat.

'Kniola's Black Knight': deep purple, hot pink throat. 'Flying Saucers': silvery white streaked blue. Double-flowering 'Sunrise Serenade': large ruffled red blossoms staying open longer (needs tying support).

My favorite: 'Grandpa Ott's'—vigorous climber, dark blue flowers with red star throat. Heirloom that started Seed Savers Exchange.

Other Ipomoeas to try:

• Moonflower: Large white morning glory; flowers open at night—perfect for moon garden.
• Cardinal Climber: Deeply cut foliage, bright red tubular trumpets. Hummingbirds love it!
• Cypress Vine: Similar to cardinal climber, red tubular flowers, finely cut fern-like leaves.
• Spanish Flag: Racemes of small tubular flowers: bright red → orange → yellow → white. Hundreds at different stages/colors simultaneously—like tiny flags.

All Ipomoeas prefer sunny, well-drained soil, tolerate drought. No fertilizer—overly fertile soil promotes leaves over flowers. Soak seeds overnight to soften coat, speed germination.

Fast-growing flowering vines cover unsightly spots quickly. Charming on trellises, porch/deck railings. Train as living fence, privacy screen, shade, or color wall. As architectural element, adds new garden dimension. Time to grow up!