Ipomoea purpurea 'Dolce Vita'

The 'Dolce Vita' Morning Glory is a variety of Ipomoea purpurea that is vigorous and adorned with beautiful white flowers delicately enhanced by a light pink eye. This flowering vine develops long voluble stems laden with buds that bloom on a well-furnished heart-shaped foliage in a single season. This greedy but generous annual plant thrives in the sun and prefers soft and fresh soils.

The 'Dolce Vita' Morning Glory, poetically named 'Morning Glory', is a very vigorous climbing plant from the Convolvulaceae family. The botanical species Ipomoea purpurea has origins that trace back to tropical regions of America, probably in Mexico. Perennial with tuberous roots, it is susceptible to frost in our climate and is cultivated as an annual. This plant grows very rapidly: its long voluble stems reach up to 2.50m (8ft) and climb any support within reach. The flowering period is long and abundant, from July until the first frost. Its funnel-shaped corollas measure 5 to 7cm (2 to 3in) in diameter. With a fine and silky texture, they are adorned with a fresh pink halo around their white core. Although these flowers close permanently in the afternoon, they constantly renew themselves on the plant. The voluble stems bear oval to heart-shaped leaves, 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) in length, rarely trilobed, in a matte dark green colour that enhances the bright colour of the flowers. Each plant produces about 100 pods filled with seeds, approximately 600 seeds, at the end of the season, before the first frost. They can be harvested for sowing the following year, but the plants resulting from the seeds are not necessarily identical to the parent plant.

This distant cousin of the common bindweed does not withstand our harsh winters, but that matters little in view of its rampant growth. The 'Dolce Vita' Morning Glory thrives in well-drained, rich soil that remains slightly moist. Sow it in a warm and sunny location to fully enjoy its flowering. It will be enhanced by the 'Kniola's Black' Morning Glory, which is very dark with black flowers and a cherry pink throat. Both will create fantastic ground covers and creep on any available support. You can also associate it with other ephemeral climbers such as Sweet Peas or Nasturtiums. It voluptuously winds itself around trellises, pergolas, obelisks, balcony grilles, trees and shrubs, clematis, or even wisteria... and if it doesn't find any support, it will crawl on the ground. It is an ideal plant for embellishing an old wall or a dead tree...