Question
i have been trying to get a hold of some perennial morning glories ever since i heard about them in a blog online. however, i can't seem to find a place where i can buy seeds or get a plant. because i can't find a reliable place to find seeds im starting to wonder if they exist at all. is there anyone who has any experience with this "perennial morning glory" and if so can you show me somewhere that i can gey the seeds online?

p.s. i heard that these morning glories don't live up north. is this true? if so i live in zone 7, so am i ok?

-thanks

Answer
Hi Ian,
Thanx for your question.  I think you are referring to Ipomoea indica.  It is a perennial morning glory native to South America and highly invasive in the Deep South.  The flowers are very beautiful and some people grow it in a tub so it won't take over.  This plant is consider in the same vein as Kudzu so you should check with your state Department of Agriculture to make sure it is not a banned noxious weed.  I believe it will survive to zone 8 but dies back to the ground in Zones 8 and 9 and comes back in the spring.  It is rated hardy to Zone 10 by Logee's, which carries the plant.  This plant is not propagated by seed that I know of.  It is easily propagated by its tuber and by runners that spread quickly across the ground.

http://www.logees.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R1952-2

It has a large tuber like Ipomoea batatas which is the Sweet Potato and its horticultural offshoots that we use in container gardens.  Yes, that's right, the sweet potato is a member of the Morning Glory family.

There is another perennial morning glory, Impomoea trichocarpa which is also invasive and not as impressive of a flower.

Ipomoea alba is a large white, night-blooming morning glory often called Moon Vine.  It is a short-lived perennial but only hardy to Zone 9.  In zone 7 the plant is an annual.

I hope this helps.
Tom