About
A tender, trailing evergreen perennial, normally grown as an annual, to around 25cm in height with heart-shaped, lobed golden-green foliage. Grown as an ornamental for its foliage, it works well in hanging baskets, patio pots and window boxes or covering a trellis to add colour and texture.
About the genus
Ipomoea can be annuals or perennials, often twining, or evergreen shrubs, with simple, lobed or dissected leaves and tubular or funnel-shaped flowers which may be solitary or borne in racemes or panicles
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH1C
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitClimbing, Trailing
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height1 year
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Hanging basket, Patio and container plants
ToxicityHarmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a peat-free multipurpose compost in containers, or in the open, in a rich well-drained soil in sun or part shade
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by seed, or by softwood or semi-ripe cuttings. Edible cultivars are grown from slips (rooted shoots from a tuber). These can be potted and grown indoors in spring and planted out once there is no risk of frost
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse red spider mite if grown in a conservatory or greenhouse
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to a virus and powdery mildews