Ivyleaf morningglory

August 25, 2015

Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq

Life cycle

Twining summer annual vine. 

ivyleaf morningglory seedling
Ivyleaf morningglory seedling.

Leaves

Cotyledons are butterfly-shaped and usually narrower at the base. Leaves are alternate with erect hairs on both surfaces. The first leaf may be unlobed; all other leaves are three-lobed and ivy-shaped.

erect hairs of ivy- & entire-leaf morningglory ivyleaf morningglory leaf
Erect hairs of ivyleaf and entireleaf morningglory (left). Ivyleaf morningglory leaf (right).

Stems

Densely hairy, climbing or trailing, twining vines up to 6 feet or more in length.

Flowers and fruit

Blue to purple or white petals fused into a funnel shape. Fruit are egg-shaped capsules containing dull gray, brown or black seeds with one round and two flattened surfaces.

ivyleaf morningglory flowers
Ivyleaf morningglory flowers.

Reproduction

Seeds.

Similar weeds

Entireleaf morningglory (I. hederacea var. integriuscula Gray) Differs only from ivyleaf morningglory by having heart-shaped leaves. Leaf hairs are erect on both surfaces.

entireleaf morningglory leaf entireleaf morningglory seedling
Entireleaf morningglory leaf (left) and seedling (right).

Pitted morningglory (I. lacunosa L.) Differs by having V-shaped cotyledons and heart-shaped leaves with no to few hairs.

pitted morningglory leaf pitted morningglory seedling
Pitted morningglory leaf (left), and seedling (right).

Tall morningglory [I. purpurea (L.) Roth] Differs by having butterfly-shaped cotyledons with tip and base similar in width and heart-shaped leaves with dense hairs that lie flat.

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