Re: Morning Glory -Convolvulus sepium

There doesn't seem to be much danger of morning glory spreading into the wild. It is not found along our roadsides like the everlasting pea, Lathyrus latifolius. It doesn't pop up in the woods from bird droppings like holly and ivy do.

The British Columbia botanists studying the Burns Bog Ecosystem near Vancouver found that C. sepium grows along trails nearby, but did not grow on undisturbed land or organic substrate and they therefore did not think it constituted a danger to the bog.

However, I think I would prefer to grow a plant that has handsomer foliage than morning glory. You mentioned that it would do well in tough areas, but in tough areas here it looks scruffy. Yes, the flowers are lovely, but I think a fancy-leaved ivy is much more handsome, and looks good all year round. Ivy does spread into the wild when it becomes arborescent and produces seeds that birds eat and spread, but a yearly trim can stop that danger.


I did a Google search on Convolvulus sepium California and found some information.

It is growing already in the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta in California.

It is listed as a noxious weed only in AR. I don't know whether that is Arizona or Arkansas.

Several websites say C. sepium is native to the eastern U.S. unlike C. arvensis which is European and is now a vicious weed all around the world - even in unlikely places like Borneo.

The Agriculture Dept of Purdue says this: Hedge bindweed occurs in the eastern two thirds of the country and in the northwestern corner. It is similar in appearance to field bindweed, but its extensive root system does not penetrate as deep. (C. arvensis has roots to 25 feet deep). Hedge bindweed reproduces by seed and roots.

Diane Whitehead Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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