Morning glory (also written asmorning-glory[3]) is the common name for over 1,000species offlowering plants in the familyConvolvulaceae, whose taxonomy and systematics remain in flux. These species are distributed across numerousgenera, including:
Ipomoea tricolor, commonly known simply as"morning glory", is the archetypical species for the group and is renowned for its many beautiful varieties, such as 'Heavenly Blue', 'Flying Saucers', and 'Pearly Gates'.
As the name suggests, most morning glory flowers open early in the day and begin to fade by late morning, as thecorolla starts to curl inward. They thrive in full sun and prefermesic soils. While many species are known for their diurnal blooming pattern, some, such asIpomoea muricata,Ipomoea alba, andIpomoea macrorhiza, produce night-blooming flowers.
Morning glory species were historically used inChina for their laxative seeds, by ancientMesoamericans to vulcanizerubber with their sulfur-rich juice, and byAztec priests for hallucinogenic purposes. Morning glories can become serious invasive weeds in places likeAustralia and theUnited States, where they spread rapidly, smother native plants, and are often regulated or banned due to their negative impact on agriculture and ecosystems.
Morning glories are fast-growing, twining plants often grown asperennial plants in frost-free areas andannual plants in colder climates, valued for their attractive flowers and shade-providing vines, with a long history of cultivation and selective breeding especially inJapan since the 8th century.Ipomoea aquatica, known as water spinach or water morning glory, is widely used as a greenvegetable in East and Southeast Asian cuisines, though it is regulated as a noxious weed in theUnited States, while the genusIpomoea also includessweet potatoes, sometimes called tuberous morning glories. The seeds of various morning glory species containergolinealkaloids likeergine (LSA) andisoergine, which are structurally related toLSD and can producepsychedelic effects lasting 4 to 10 hours when ingested in sufficient quantities.
In cultivation, most are treated asperennial plants in frost-free areas and asannual plants in colder climates, but some species tolerate winter cold. Some species are strictly annual (e.g.Ipomoea nil), producing many seeds, and some perennial species (e.g.I. indica) are propagated by cuttings. Somemoonflowers, which flower at night, are also in the morning glory family.
Ipomoea aquatica is most commonly grown in east, south, and southeast Asia. It flourishes naturally in waterways, and requires little if any care. It is used extensively in Indonesian, Burmese, Thai, Lao, Cambodian, Malay, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Chinese cuisine, especially in rural orkampung (village) areas. The vegetable is also extremely popular inTaiwan, where it grows well. During theJapanese occupation of Singapore in World War II, the vegetable grew remarkably easily in many areas, and became a popular wartime crop.
In some places, such as Australianbushland, some species of morning glories develop thick roots and tend to grow in dense thickets. They can quickly spread by way of long, creeping stems. By crowding out, blanketing, and smothering other plants, morning glory has turned into a seriousinvasiveweed problem.[6]
as of 2021, most non-native species ofIpomoea are currently illegal to cultivate, possess, and sell in the U.S. state ofArizona, and before 4 January 2020, this ban applied to native species, too. This is because some species of Convolvulaceae (likeConvolvulus arvensis andIpomoea × leucantha) have been known to cause problems in crops, especially in cotton fields.[7][8]
Ipomoea aquatica is afederal noxious weed, though some states do not adhere to this regulation; it can be illegal to grow, import, possess, or sell without a permit.[9] However, Texas has acknowledged its status as a vegetable and allows it to be grown.[10]
Ipomoea aquatica, known as water spinach, water morning glory, water convolvulus,ong-choy, kang-kung, or swamp cabbage, is popularly used as aleaf vegetable, especially inEast andSoutheast Asiancuisines. As of 2005, the state of Texas has acknowledged that water spinach is a highly prized vegetable in many cultures, and has allowed it to be grown for personal consumption, in part because it is known to have been grown in Texas for more than 15 years and has not yet escaped cultivation.[10]
The genusIpomoea also contains thesweet potato (I. batatas). Though the term "morning glory" is not usually extended toI. batatas, sometimes it may be referred to as a "tuberous morning glory" in a horticultural context.
Because of their fast growth, twining habit, attractive flowers, and tolerance for poor, dry soils, some morning glories are excellentvines for creating summershade on building walls when trellised, thus providingpassive cooling—a common strategy ingreen building—by keeping the building cooler and reducing heating and cooling costs.
Many morning glories self-seed in the garden. They have a hard seed coat, which delays germination until late spring. Germination may be improved by soaking in warm water.[11]
Morning glory has been a favorite flower inJapan for many a long century.[12] The cultivation started in theNara period (8th century).[12] The big booms of the selective breeding of the morning glory happened in theEdo era (17-19th century).[12] The large-flowered morning glory was broadly cultivated as a hobby flower. The varied Japanese morning glory (変化朝顔 Henka-asagao or mutant morning glory) was created.[12][13]
Seeds of morning glory species (Ipomoeaspp.) can produce psychoactive effects similar to LSD when consumed in large quantities (often hundreds of seeds). However, Hawaiian baby woodrose seeds (Argyreia nervosa), a closely related species, are significantly more potent, typically requiring only 5–10 seeds. For optimal effects, seeds from any species should ideally be ground—rather than merely chewed—as swallowing the seeds whole results in little to no psychoactive effect. This is because the ergoline alkaloids, such as ergine (LSA), are present not only in the outer layers but also within the kernel, and proper preparation is necessary to make these compounds bioavailable.
Though the chemicals ergine and isoergine are not legal in some countries, the seeds are found in many gardening stores; however, some claim the seeds from commercial sources can sometimes be coated in some kind of pesticide ormethylmercury (although the latter is illegal in the UK and the US).[20]
According toAlexander Shulgin in his 1997 bookTiHKAL (Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved), both ergine and isoergine are "probably correctly dismissed" as not contributing to the effects of morning glory seeds.[22] The poorly-stablelysergic acid hydroxyethylamides (LSHs) might alternatively be involved in the psychedelic effects of morning glory seeds per Shulgin.[23]
Periglandula fungi, known to produce psychoactive ergoline alkaloids such as ergine (lysergic acid amide), livesymbiotically with the seeds of several morning glory species, including:
Many of these species have not been well studied for their psychoactive effects in humans, and the presence of psychoactive alkaloids does not necessarily mean that all listed species have a history of traditional use or documented psychoactive activity in people.
Consuming the seeds ofI. aquatica may produce psychoactive effects due to the presence of ergoline alkaloids. However, the plant is most widely used as aculinary vegetable, with its leaves and stems eaten as food rather than its seeds; as a result, it does not have psychoactive effects when consumed as a vegetable.
^Borsutzky, M; Passie, T; Paetzold, W; Emrich, HM; Schneider, U (September 2002). "[Hawaiian baby woodrose: (Psycho-) Pharmacological effects of the seeds of Argyreia nervosa. A case-orientated demonstration]".Der Nervenarzt.73 (9):892–6.doi:10.1007/s00115-002-1374-4.PMID12215884.
^Vargas, Theresa (2006-05-03)."A '60s Buzz Recycled".The Washington Post.Archived from the original on 2011-01-23. Retrieved2010-05-13.
^Tittarelli R, Mannocchi G, Pantano F, Romolo FS (January 2015)."Recreational use, analysis and toxicity of tryptamines".Curr Neuropharmacol.13 (1):26–46.doi:10.2174/1570159X13666141210222409.hdl:11573/874462.PMC4462041.PMID26074742.Ergine, or lysergic acid amide (LSA), is an alkaloid of the ergoline family closely related to LSD, found in the seeds of Argyreia nervosa (Hawaiian baby woodrose) and Ipomoea violacea (Morning Glories). Hallucinogenic activity of LSA occurs with 4-10 seeds of Argyreia nervosa or with 150–200 seeds (3–6 g) of Ipomoea violacea: seeds could be crushed or eaten whole, or also drunk as an extract, after soaking in water [42]. The onset of the hallucinatory effects, after ingestion of Hawaiian Baby Woodrose, is from 20 to 40 minutes and their total duration is from 5 to 8 hours: the plateau is reached after 4-6 hours and the return to normality is after 1-2 hours from the plateau. [...] However, as regards to the assumption of the Morning Glory seeds, the onset of the hallucinatory effects is from 30 to 180 minutes and they last for 4 to 10 hours. The users reported that they return to normality after about 24 hours [67].
^Johnnson, Timothy (1999).CRC Ethnobotany Desk Reference. CRC Press. p. 431.ISBN0-8493-1187-X.
^Paulke A, Kremer C, Wunder C, Wurglics M, Schubert-Zsilavecz M, Toennes SW (April 2015). "Studies on the alkaloid composition of the Hawaiian Baby Woodrose Argyreia nervosa, a common legal high".Forensic Sci Int.249:281–293.doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.02.011.PMID25747328.
^Shulgin, Alexander;Shulgin, Ann (September 1997).TiHKAL: The Continuation.Berkeley, California:Transform Press.ISBN0-9630096-9-9.OCLC38503252.https://www.erowid.org/library/books_online/tihkal/tihkal26.shtml "LA-111, Ergine, d-Lysergamide. This is an active compound and has been established as a major component in morning glory seeds. It was assayed for human activity, by Albert Hofmann in self-trials back in 1947, well before this was known to be a natural compound. An i.m. administration of a 500 microgram dose led to a tired, dreamy state with an inability to maintain clear thoughts. [...] The epimer, inverted at C-8, is isoergine or d-isolysergamide, and is also a component of morning glory seeds. Hofmann tried a 2 milligram dose of this amide, and as with ergine, he experienced nothing but tiredness, apathy, and a feeling of emptiness. Both compounds are probably correctly dismissed as not being a contributor to the action of these seeds. [...] Although there are many other chemical treasures in the ergot fungal world, I would like to wrap this commentary up with a return to the topic of morning glory seeds. Four additional alkaloids of the ergot world must be acknowledged as being potentially participating factors in the MGS story. [...] These structures in effect define absolute obscurity, and most probably do not contribute to the morning glory intoxication state. But the others, some present is sizable amounts, may someday help explain why the pharmacology of these seeds is so different than that of the major isolates, the ergines."
^Shulgin AT (1972)."Hallucinogens, CNS Stimulants, And Cannabis". In Mulé, SJ, Brill H (eds.).Chemical and Biological Aspects of Drug Dependence. CRC Press. pp. 163–176.doi:10.1201/9780429260629-16.ISBN978-0-87819-011-9.The major alkaloids present were found to be ergine (d-Lysergic acid amide, Figure 2; R1, R2, R3 = H) and the enantiomorph isoergine (d-Isolysergic acid amide, identical with ergine, but with the opposite epimeric configuration on the carbon atom that carries the amide carbonyl group). These two compounds have been shown to have some activity in man, but it is possible that their presence in the natural seed as the extremely labile acetaldehyde condensates (the hydroxyethylamides) may explain the activity of the seed compared to the lack of activity of the ergot isolates.8 [...] 8. Hofmann, A., Teonanacatl and Ololiuqui, two ancient magic drugs of Mexico, Bull. Narc., 23, 3, 1971.
^abcdefghiBeaulieu, WT; Panaccione, DG; Ryan, KL; Kaonongbua, W; Clay, K (July 2015). "Phylogenetic and chemotypic diversity of Periglandula species in eight new morning glory hosts (Convolvulaceae)".Mycologia.107 (4):667–78.doi:10.3852/14-239.PMID25977213.
^abcSteiner, Ulrike, and Eckhard Leistner. "Ergoline alkaloids in convolvulaceous host plants originate from epibiotic clavicipitaceous fungi of the genus Periglandula."Fungal Ecology 5.3 (2012): 316-321. Available at:[1]
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