Ipomoea alba
L.
Convolvulaceae
Bonanox indica Raf.
Bonanox riparia Raf.
Calonyction aculeatum (L.) House.
Calonyction album (L.) House.
Calonyction bona-nox Bojer
Calonyction macrantholeucum Colla
Calonyction megalocarpum A.Rich
Calonyction noctolucum (Herb.) G.Don
Calonyction pulcherrimum D.Parodi
Calonyction rheedei Colla
Calonyction roxburghii G.Don
Calonyction speciosum Choisy
Convolvulus aculeatus Hill
Convolvulus aculeatus L.
Convolvulus aculeatus bona-nox (L.) Kuntze
Convolvulus bona-nox (L.) Spreng.
Convolvulus duartinus Mure
Convolvulus latiflorus Desr.
Convolvulus macrosolen Spreng.
Convolvulus maximus L.f.
Convolvulus muricatus Blanco
Convolvulus mutabilis Blanco
Convolvulus pulcherrimus Vell.
Euryloma grandiflora Raf.
Euryloma latiflora (Desr.) Raf.
Ipomoea aculeata (L.) Kuntze
Ipomoea aculeata bona-nox (L.) Kuntze
Ipomoea ambigua Endl.
Ipomoea bona-nox L.
Ipomoea bona-nox grandiflora C.B.Clarke
Ipomoea carinata Endl.
Ipomoea krusensternii Ledeb.
Ipomoea latiflora (Desr.) Roem. & Schult.
Ipomoea longiflora Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Ipomoea maxima (L.f.) G.Don
Ipomoea noctiflora Griff.
Ipomoea noctiluca Herb.
Ipomoea roxburghii Steud.
Ipomoea tubulosa Willd.
Melascus latifolius Raf.
Quamoclit longiflora (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) G.Don
Tremasperma bona-nox Raf.
Common Name: Moonflower
Flowering plants, climbing up the trellis around a house
Photograph by: Bev Wagar
General Information
A short-lived perennial or biennial species[
187- Title
- Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books
- Year
- 1991
- ISBN
- 0-330-30936-9
- Description
- Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
]. A climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around the branches of other plants[
219- Title
- Gardening on Walls
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V.
- Publisher
- Collins
- Year
- 1983
- ISBN
- 0-00-219220-0
- Description
- A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental, where it quickly can provide a temporary screen or barrier.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
Range
Pantropical.
Habitat
Wet forests, watercourses and disturbed areas in China[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Perennial Climber |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Requires a fertile well-drained loam in a warm sunny position[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
A fast-growing climbing plant, it is best grown as a temporary screen in the garden or along the boundary edge[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Plants need a long period of growth to reach flowering size[
260- Title
- Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books, London.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-330-37376-5
- Description
- Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
].
The plant forms tubercles (baby tubers) on the stems and can be propagated by them[
260- Title
- Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books, London.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-330-37376-5
- Description
- Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
].
The aromatic flowers open of a night time[
188- Title
- The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers
- Publication
-
- Author
- Brickell. C.
- Publisher
- Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-86318-386-7
- Description
- Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
].
Edible Uses
Young leaves and fleshy calyces - cooked. Steamed and eaten as a vegetable or used in curries, soups, stews etc[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. They can also be dried for later use[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
].
Seed - eaten when young[
183- Title
- Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-0-9
- Description
- Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
].
Medicinal
The whole herb is used in treating snakebite[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
Other Uses
The milky juice (sap?) is used to coagulate the latex of Castilla elastica[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].
Propagation
Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water, or scarify the seed, and sow in individual pots in a greenhouse in early spring. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at 22°c. Plants are extremely resentful of root disturbance, even when they are quite small, and should be potted up almost as soon as they germinate[
219- Title
- Gardening on Walls
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V.
- Publisher
- Collins
- Year
- 1983
- ISBN
- 0-00-219220-0
- Description
- A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
]. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of side shoots in a peaty soil.
Layering.
Plants form tubercles on their stems[
260- Title
- Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
- Publication
-
- Author
- Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
- Publisher
- Pan Books, London.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-330-37376-5
- Description
- Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
]. These can be stored overwinter in a slightly moist medium such as sand or leafmould, keeping them in a cool but frost-free place. Pot them up in early spring.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
