Morning Glory Flower

Last updated on May 23rd, 2023 at 12:25 am

The morning glory flower is grown as a decorative addition to a garden. There isn’t a specific species of morning glory, but over a thousand different species use this name as an umbrella term.

Any flower member of the Convolvulaceae family is considered a morning glory. Over a dozen genera fit into the larger family, such as Rivea, Ipomoea, and Merremia.

Generally speaking, the morning glory is a flowering plant. Most of them grow on vines, but a few species grow as freestanding flowers or shrubs. Wherever they settle, they form thick mats of creeping vines, eventually taking over the area. They establish deep roots that can last for years.

Some varieties are self-seeding. Morning glories come in an array of vibrant colors. However, only a few species emit fragrances. The morning glory flower blooms in the morning and closes it by nightfall. Only a handful of species reopen the following day.

This flower species grows in many parts of the world and is native to every continent except Antarctica.

The blooming window and season of this species vary. Most morning glory plants bloom in the summer, starting in May and continuing until October.

What does the Morning Glory flower symbolize?

This vibrant flower holds many meanings and symbolism across various cultures. The plant’s vining habits lend its predominant meaning to love. Vining plants are associated with clinging or attachment and therefore love.

Japanese gardeners were the first to crossbreed and cultivate the many species of morning glory. In this ancient culture, these flowers represent obsession and unrequited love. It also symbolizes love and innocence. Therefore, it’s not surprising that this flower is a common gift between lovers.

In China, morning glories are used to decorate garden fences. They’re often grown on vines on the walls of homes. This ancient culture also associates this flower with love.

There is special folklore attached to the morning glory. In the story, the two lovers neglect their responsibilities to meet each other in secret, which angered the gods above. To punish the lovers, the gods banish them to different parts of the country where the banks of a wide river separate them. The lovers are permitted to meet each other only once a year. The morning glory flower has a constant propensity to climb and reach across wide, open areas. This reminds the people in Chinese culture of the lovers’ desire to reunite.

This was a popular bloom in the garden during Victorian times. Many morning glory varieties quickly adapted to England’s rainy and cool climate. Therefore it attained an important role in enhancing the language of flowers. Flowers were exchanged as a way to send coded messages.

Similar to Chinese culture, in Victorian England, this flower represents unrequited love. If someone received a bouquet of morning glories, it signaled the sender’s undying or continuing love.

Several Christian groups associate this flower with the symbol of rebirth and renewal. The morning glory is indirectly mentioned in the Bible, in Exodus 16:7, which states the glory of God is witnessed in the early hours.

All in all, the morning glory flower symbolic meanings are:

  • love
  • life
  • death
  • love in vain
  • unrequited love
  • obsession

Meaning of the Morning Glory flower colors

Hot pink color

The hot pink morning glory flowers represent fun, joy, playfulness, energy, gratitude, and peacefulness.

Purple/Indigo color

The purple/indigo morning glory flowers symbolize wealth, royalty, healing, growth, grace, and hopefulness.

Blue color

The blue morning glory flowers convey peace, desire, intuition, infinity, power, intelligence, and love.

Red color

The red morning glory flowers mean power, wealth, seduction, love,

White color

The white morning glory flowers signify innocence, rebirth, youth, healing, peacefulness, and purity.

Yellow color

The yellow morning glory flowers define healing, new beginnings, warmth, and joy.

Interesting facts about the Morning Glory flowers

  • Although the flowers are beautiful, they are toxic to animals. When ingested, they cause vomiting and nausea.
  • The morning glory got its name because of its ability to bloom, open, and close during the day.
  • The flowers of this species come in an assortment of colors.
  • When you plant certain species of this flower in your garden, it will attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
  • In Pre-Columbian societies, the extracts of the morning glory plants were used to manufacture rubber materials.

How to grow Morning Glory flowers

It is simple and easy to grow morning glories. They make lovely flowers, whether given with a trellis or set in a hanging basket.

  1. Plant the morning glories in moist but well-draining soil.
  2. Place them in a spot that gets at least 6 to 8 hours a day of full sun.
  3. Provide your morning glories with regular water, about one inch per week.
  4. Mulch around the roots to retain moisture.
  5. Feed the plant with a low-nitrogen fertilizer every four to five weeks throughout its growing period.

How to care for Morning Glory flowers

  1. Once established, slow watering cadence.
  2. Apply a fertilizer blend high in phosphorus if you notice a lack of blooms.
  3. Cut off old flowers before they turn into seed pods to encourage the plant to produce more flowers. 
  4. Remove spent blooms as they fade or all the dead vines after the first killing frost in fall.

Best time to gift Morning Glory flowers

Morning glory flowers are popular additions to wedding proposals and marriage ceremonies bouquets. If someone wants to show interest in another person, giving the other person a bouquet of morning glories is not uncommon. These flowers make the perfect gifts for anniversaries because of their connection to devotional love.

Morning glory flower meanings vary from romance to wishing someone luck. The morning glory flower is a perfect choice if you’re thinking about giving someone a hanging plant container or a potted plant. 

Lastly, if someone you know is starting a new venture or experiencing a figurative rebirth, present them with a bouquet of morning glory flowers.

Conclusion

Many individuals have smiled at the beauty of a strong morning glory flower and related it with a sense of love for someone else.

This fantastic flower represents how joyful someone else makes you. It’s also simple to incorporate into the home landscape, providing a constant supply of fresh-cut flowers.

If you want to know and learn more about flowers, we at PansyMaiden can help you. Check out our fun, easy-to-read, and informative flower-related content that you will surely enjoy!