Common Name:

General Information

Ipomoea indica is a perennial climbing plant with slender stems that scramble over the ground and twine into the surrounding vegetation. Stems will often root at the nodes when growing on the ground[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of soap. It is widely cultivated for ornamental purposes, being particularly valued for its abundant flowering display[, ].

Known Hazards

The plant is toxic to humans, causing discomfort and irritation but is not life-threatening[].
The seeds are poisonous if ingested, causing visual distortion, restlessness and nausea[].

Botanical References

Range

Subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas from Argentina and Chile north through the Caribbean abd C. America to Mexico, Texas and Florida

Habitat

Waste places, thickets, forest borders, occasionally on sandy sea-shores; at elevations up to 1,650 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial Climber
Height	10.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in a wide variety of soils and situations, preferring moist sites especially where the soil is rich in nutrients[].
Often grown as an ornamental, the plant has escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in many areas. It is a noxious weed in parts of Australia, for example, where it carpets the ground and smothers shrubs and small trees[].
A mature plant can produce hundreds of fragile flowers each day and can leave a messy carpet below. The flowers are dark blue in the morning, turning to purple/magenta by noon and pink by the evening before curling up into a fuchsia-like shape and then falling to the ground in the next day or two[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The sap from the crushed leaves is drunk to relieve dysentery[].
The sap from the crushed leaves is applied to on sores, these are then wrapped with the leaf[].

Other Uses

The leaves are used as soap to wash clothes[].

Propagation

Seed -

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