Moonflower
Ipomoea alba • Convolvulaceae
🌱 Seed Category
Flower
🌍 Origin Region
Tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, widely cultivated globally
📅 Days to Maturity
85 to 110 days from planting to first bloom, flowering continuously from mid-summer until the first fall frost.
🌡️ Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11 as a perennial, grown as an annual in colder zones 3 to 8.
About This Seed
Seeds are hard, angular to round, dark brown to blackish, and approximately one-quarter inch in size with a tough seed coat. The resulting plant is a vigorous, twining, tender perennial vine that grows 10 to 15 feet tall with large, heart-shaped green leaves and intensely fragrant, large white trumpet-shaped flowers that open in the evening and close by morning.
Growing Information
Growing Season
Spring and Summer, start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost or direct sow after all danger of frost has passed
Germination
Germinates in 7 to 21 days at an optimal soil temperature of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Moderate to high germination rate. Requires darkness for germination. Scarification (nicking the seed coat with a file or soaking seeds in warm water for 24 hours prior to planting) is strongly recommended to break the hard seed coat.
Planting Instructions
Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep, spaced 6 to 12 inches apart along a trellis or fence. Prefers rich, moderately fertile, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily). Water moderately, keeping the soil evenly moist during the growing season. Moderate drought tolerance once established.
Companion Plants
Beneficial when planted near other trellising plants or morning glories, though they compete for space. Avoid planting directly next to heavy ground feeders that crowd out vines.
Special Characteristics
Highly fragrant night-blooming flowers that attract nocturnal pollinators like sphinx moths. Tolerates heat well, but highly sensitive to frost.