Ipomoea imperialis - Morning Glory Sunrise Serenade Seeds

Ipomoea (x) imperialis 'Sunrise Serenade' is a stunning heirloom variety that welcomes each new day with a spectacle of ruffled, deep ruby rose blooms. From July until the first frosts, large, fully double flowers appear continually on long, twining stems - ideal for ground covers, growing up a support or tumbling down from hanging baskets. Morning Glory thrives in a warm, sunny, sheltered position in loose, cool soil.

Ipomoea 'Sunrise Serenade', poetically named Morning Glory, is a very vigorous perennial climber that belongs to the Convolvulaceae family. It is a rediscovered heirloom, selected from I. nil and I. purpurea, two species native to tropical America, probably Mexico. This tuberous rooted plant is not cold-hardy and is often treated as an annual in colder climates. It produces 2 m long, twining stems that are quick to scramble up nearby supports. From July until the first frosts, it produces an abundance of fully double, ruffled corollas, each measuring about 10 cm across. Silky-smooth to the touch, they display ruby rose to magenta petals with a sparkling white throat. Although the delicate blooms open and close in the space of day, they are constantly replaced on the plant. The stems bear 5 to 10 cm, oval to heart-shaped leaves, occasionally three-lobed. Their matt, mid green colour really sets off the brightly coloured blooms. Each plant produces about 100 seed pods, i. e. about 600 seeds at the end of the growing season, before the first frosts.

Ipomoea is a distant cousin of common bindweed. Although it is distinctly less cold-hardy, it is such an enthusiastic grower that it makes an excellent annual. It thrives in any well-drained garden soil in a warm, sheltered position. It combines well with other short-lived climbers such as sweet peas or nasturtiums. It eagerly scrambles over trellises, pergolas, arches, balcony railings, trees, shrubs and even other vines such as clematis and wisteria. If it can't find a support, it can be left to roam free on the ground. Morning Glory is ideal for hiding unsightly walls or dead trees.