Quercus

Common Morning-glory

Ipomoea purpurea

Not native to Kentucky

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Kentucky.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

45CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Ipomoea

  • Agrius cingulataPink-Spotted Hawkmoth, Sweet Potatoe Caterpillar
  • Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Amyna strictaEight-Spot Moth
  • Anomis flavaTropical Anomis Moth
  • Autographa precationisCommon Looper Moth
  • Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
  • Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
  • Elaphria chalcedoniaChalcedony Midget
  • Elophila obliteralisWaterlily Leafcutter Moth
Show all 45
  • Emmelina monodactylaMorning-Glory Plume Moth
  • Euptoieta claudiaVariegated Fritillary, (?)Gulf Fritillary
  • Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Feltia herilisMaster's Dart
  • Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
  • Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
  • Hahncappsia mancalisCommon Hahncappsia
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Herpetogramma fluctuosalisGreater Sweetpotato Webworm
  • Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Lascoria ambigualisAmbiguous Moth, Ambiguous Litter Moth
  • Marimatha nigrofimbriaBlack-Bordered Lemon
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Ostrinia obumbratalisSmartweed Borer
  • Papilio troilusSpicebush Swallowtail
  • Patania silicalisHerbivorous Patania, Herbivorous Pleuroptya
  • Proxenus mirandaMiranda Moth, Glistening Rustic
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera dolichosSweetpotato Armyworm, Dolichos Armyworm, Large Cotton Armyworm
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera latifasciaOrange-Striped Armyworm, Velvet Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
  • Spragueia damaSouthern Spragueia
  • Udea rubigalisCelery Leaftier
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Cosmopterix gemmiferella
  • Hahncappsia neobliteralis
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
3Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Ipomoea

  • Melitoma grisella
  • Melitoma marginella
  • Melitoma taurea
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Ipomoea

  • Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
  • Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Convolvulaceae
Hardiness
Zones 2–11
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Purple

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Common Morning Glory; Common Morning glory; Purple Morning Glory

Conservation status

Kentucky rankSNA
Global rankGNR
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources