This plant appeared in my garden in August. It winds itself around my black and blue salvia. What is it?
Morning glory, Ipomoea. Maybe Ipomoea coccinea is the one most likely to show up where it wasn't deliberately planted, but there are other Ipomoea species and look-alikes with flowers like this. It's on many invasive plant lists.
Thank you. This does fit the plant in my garden. Common Names: Red morningglory, Scarlet Morningglory, Scarlet Creeper, Star Glory. Family: Convolvulaceae Synonymy: Quamoclit coccinea Moench. Etymology: The epithet coccinea refers to the scarlet-colored flowers of this creeping vine. Identification Growth form: Red Morningglory is a twining annual vine. Roots: fibrous root system Stem: Stems are hairless, red, and ridged. Leaves: Leaves are alternate, on petioles 1-4 inches long. Can be lobed or un-lobed with a heart-shaped base, 1.5-2.5 inches long, apex is pointed. Inflorescence/flowers: Flowers are scarlet-red and narrowly trumpet shaped, 1-1.5 inches long. Two to several flowers are born on a 3-5 inch stalk arising from leaf axils. Fruit: The fruit consists of globe-shaped seedpods. Seeds are 1/8 inch long, egg-shaped but angular and are blackish in color. There are 4-6 seed per seedpod. Similar species: Red morningglory is very similar many morningglory species including, Ipomoea purpurea. Ecology Life history: Annual. Native/introduced: Native to the southwestern U.S. and tropical America. Photosynthetic pathway: C3 Phenology: Ipomoea coccinea is flowering from May-October in Northern Arizona. Distribution: Found in all counties in Arizona except Apache from 2500-6000 feet. Georgia Invasive Species Plant List: Category 4 - Exotic plant that is naturalized in Georgia but generally does not pose a problem in Georgia natural areas or a potentially invasive plant in need of additional information to determine its true status.
