Morning glories are a common sight which means they are grown quite easily. If you have ever seen one, their blooms open in the morning and close by the end of the day.
These vines are alluring for most gardeners and many new ones wish to know if morning glories come back early.
Do morning glories come back yearly?
Morning glories can come back yearly, but it would depend on a few factors. If the area where morning glories are planted is warmer, they would bloom only once after which the plant would lose life. In colder regions, however, they may be able to come back after reseeding.
Due to their low tolerance to frost, morning glories are climbing vines that are popularly grown as annuals. This means that they would survive a single season and lose life at the first sight of the front.
Still, depending on the zones and climate, some types can survive winters and start to bloom in soring again. These come back yearly.
Ipomoea Tricolor is the most common form of morning glory that is hardy enough to be perennial through the zones USDA 9 through 11.
One variety such as the popular heavenly blue is an example for both annual and perineal. Since the plant is sensitive to frost, they are mostly planted for one season. In 10 to 11 zones, the same variety can survive for most seasons including the warm winters.
Similarly, the moonflower variety or sweet potato wine would come back in zones 9 to 11. You would still have to care and cut back your morning glory vines to maintain them as perennials.
Do morning glories come back year after year?
Morning glories could come back year after year depending on what climate it has been planted on. In warmer climates, where morning glories are annuals, they would only bloom once.
In colder climates, some variety of morning glory is not only cold but also frost tolerant and can come back year after year.
Are morning glories annuals or perennials?
Morning glories are both annual or perennials depending on a few factors. One of the first factors determining whether they are annual or perennial is the location or zone these aggressive vines are growing. The type determines how long the plant would take to complete its biological year.
If a type of morning glory is annual, it would have just one growing season. This means that the entire process when the germination begins to when the seeds are produced can be completed in one season, after which the plant would lose life.
You can mainly expect an annual morning glory to lose life during the winter.
Perennial morning glories, on the contrary, would come back for several years. This is because perennial plants live more than two years, and do not have to be planted every year.
Although more rare, perennial morning glories are hence a preference for many looking to plant these wild creeping vines.
Blue morning glory plants:
Blue morning glory plants are often referred to as heavenly blue. These plants are heavily grown and are mainly popular for their eye-catching blue flowers.
The twinning perennial plant is versatile and can also be gardened as an annual plant. In any area that is below the temperatures of 45 degrees, this beautiful plant would be annual. However, they can be reseeded as we mentioned.
Dwarf morning glories:
One of the varieties of non-vining morning glory is its dwarf morning glory which has a scientific name of Evolvulus glomeratus.
Although this plant is a herbaceous perennial, the plant can also be grown for one season. It’s known to produce blue flower bunches that look like a carpet over green leaves.
Heavenly blue morning glories:
Heavenly blue morning glories are the same as blue morning glories and are one of the most wanted creepers among the variety.
They are known to be thriving in warmer climates and hence seeded often for one season only. The vine, with large flowering blooms, can also be grown as a two-season perineal wonder if grown in USA zones 10 and 11.
Morning glory vines:
In areas where the climate is warmer like 8,9 12 to 24, the vine is a perennial plant.
Yet, in places where there are chances of frost, the vine is more like to only survive a single season.
Purple morning glories:
The unique, funnel shaped flowers with a white spot in the center is the trait of purple morning glories nobody can ignore.
These vines are annual but in USA zone 10 and 11, they can survive well being grown as perennial as well.
Does morning glory survive winter?
Generally, most morning glories are hardy plants but would not survive harsh winters, notably in zone 5. Moreover, all morning glories do not tolerate cold winter the same way.
The types that are not so winter tolerant are usually grown once in the whole season, primarily during the spring summer terms.
For instances, one of the morning glories, the moonflower can be grown as a perineal plant but it would mainly depend on the zones. They are often grown in US zones 9 to 11 as a perennial plant since they can survive winter.
You may want to note that if the seeds have matured enough, the plant could survive frosty winters.
What is the temperature tolerance of morning glories?
If you have sowed morning glories in your garden before, you would have noticed how they grow at their best if planted during late spring or early summer. This means that the mid-range, slightly sunnier days are best suited to morning glories.
Morning glories are mostly hardy and can survive both cool and warm temperatures but could be more sensitive to chilly winters.
Hence the temperature tolerance of morning glory is wide ranged but they tolerate best that are temperatures above 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Being warm, seasonal annuals that can be planted as perineal, morning glories are vulnerable to drying once frost hits first.
Are morning glories cold or frost hardy?
Morning glories are hardy plants that can tolerate cold temperatures but may be sensitive to frost. Hence, they are not so frost hardy.
Since the preference of morning glories is slightly warmer soil, planting them in late frost is terminating them before even germinating. Before the first sign of frost has arrived, it is best to bring your morning glory plant inside.
However, few more tolerant morning glory types can even survive through winter and late frost months. You may want to sow morning glory seed only when the worst frost has already passed.
Although morning glory seedlings are hardy and known to survive cold temperatures in certain zones, you may want to start planting only once the soil has warmed up a little bit. The best time to sow is 1 or 2 weeks after a late frost.
How to overwinter morning glory?
To make morning glories survive the days of winter, here are a few tips you can follow to care for the plants:
Keep in enclosed container:
If you have a variety of morning glory that is intolerant to chilly months, you may as well use an enclosed container to seal the plant. You would also need to bring the container inside.
Plant in dry soil:
Since the seedlings of the plant are hardy, your plants have more chances of surviving if they are planted on dry and brown soil with seeds. You should only sow the seeds of morning glory once the frost season is over.
Cut back vines:
If you wish for your vines to look decent and not go all wild, climbing up windows and inside your homes, winter or fall is a good time to clean them. You may also cut back on some inches of the vines during summer.
How long do morning glories live?
Starting from seeds to blooming the flowers in full, morning glories may live from 120 days to a couple of months.
Among annuals, the morning glory vines are usually late to bloom as well. You may also find it interesting that a morning glory does not bloom more than once in their lifetime.
How long morning glories will live would also depend on several factors. Being perineal in warmer climates, they may even live for months and through winters.
Final thoughts
Morning glory is climbing plants that can be both annual and perennial depending on what climate they are planted on. They are mostly perennial and come back from their seeds in zones 9 through 11. In warmer climates above 18 degrees, the plant should be annual and intolerant to frost.