Mystery Vine Identification: Morning Glory Crosses and Volunteers

When Morning Glories Surprise You

If a vine with heart-shaped leaves, reddish stems, and unusual dark maroon buds appears among your morning glories and moonflowers, it’s likely a hybrid seedling from cross-pollination.

How It Happens

Morning glories (Ipomoea spp.) readily cross-pollinate. Bees, hummingbirds, and even wind can transfer pollen between different varieties—or from neighbors’ plants. The resulting seeds produce offspring with mixed traits: flower color, bud shape, bloom time.

Common Culprits

• Ipomoea purpurea (common morning glory) – highly variable, often volunteers.
• Ipomoea tricolor cultivars like ‘Heavenly Blue’, ‘Blue Star’, ‘Scarlett O’Hara’.
• Ipomoea alba (moonflower) – night-blooming, white, fragrant.

What to Do

Enjoy the surprise! These volunteers are the same species but won’t match the parent hybrids. If you like the new form, save its seeds. If not, pull it before it sets seed. It’s a natural, fascinating display of genetics in action.