Morning Glory Plant
Which Morning Glory Plant Is This?
There are, quite easily, 1,000 species in the morning glory plant family, and some of them are not adorned with the trademark bugle flowers. Water spinach, for example, is a morning glory plant which is considered as a federal noxious weed and is not considered legal for growth and consumption in most states. This green leafy vegetable is a favorite for many cultures, and is frequently found in Asian cuisine. Some folks in North America also enjoy growing this morning glory plant for personal use without penalty of law, as it is not considered as a narcotic or illegal substance. It does contain an alkaloid whose effects can mirror those of LSD, however, and this element is also cultivated for its use in psychedelics.
The morning glory plant is a hanging, clinging, or veining species which adorns with plentiful blooms during the spring and summer months. The mystery and wonder associated with these flowers is another story altogether. The morning glory plant is capable of producing tens of flowers per day, and they do open during the early morning hours for the most part. They never last to see the end of the day however, and some species have been recorded with a flower life of as few as 12 minutes. They open quickly, untwisting from their cone shaped bloom, settle into a bugle position for a maximum of eight hours, and then shrivel quickly away.
If you own a morning glory plant, you will notice the consistent death and shedding of the short lived blooms in and around the potted area. You can help your little beauty along by gently plucking the dead or dying blooms from their insets. Doing this each evening just before the sun goes down will help to control the mess if yours is a hanging pot configuration, as the moist organic material is often tracked easily through the house. Though they are natural and not necessarily unclean, the cleanup can still be a bit of a hassle.
There are other forms of poisons hidden in a great many types of morning glory plant, and it is important to understand what you may be dealing with if you have small children or curious pets. Due to the almost constant shedding and rebirth of the beautiful flowers, a poisonous variety could spell trouble for someone you love. The Korean variety, for example, contains a hallucinogenic alkaloid which can be very harmful when ingested. Almost all morning seeds are vasoconstrictive, meaning that those with a history of heart problems may not wish to handle them at all. Paying heed to the possibility that some may abuse the potent hallucinogenic powers within the morning glory plant seed, most distributors have coated viable seed products with an indigestible substance for consumer safety.