Ipomoea purpurea 'Shadow Dance'

The 'Shadow Dance' Morning Glory is a selection that brings together two varieties of Ipomoea purpurea with remarkably contrasting colours, in white and very dark purple. Each plant develops long climbing stems loaded with buds that open on beautiful heart-shaped foliage in a season. Whether in the ground or in pots, this magnificent duo will compose astonishing ground covers and form superb flowering garlands on any support available.

The 'Shadow Dance' Morning Glory, is a very vigorous climbing plant from the Convolvulaceae family. The botanical species Ipomoea purpurea has origins that can be traced back to the tropical regions of America, probably Mexico. A perennial with a tuberous root, it is not frost-hardy in our climate and is cultivated as an annual. The growth of this plant is very fast: it sends its long climbing stems, reaching 2.50m (8ft), to climb any support within its reach. The flowering is long and abundant, from July until the first frost. In the 'Shadow Dance' selection, the funnel-shaped corollas measure 4 to 6cm (2in) in diameter. The first variety produces flowers in pure white, while the second produces dark purple flowers streaked with black around a pinkish-purple centre. Although these flowers close permanently in the afternoon, they constantly renew themselves on the plant. The climbing stems bear oval to heart-shaped leaves, 5 to 10cm (2 to 4in) long, rarely trilobed, in a matte dark green colour. Each plant produces about 100 pods filled with seeds, totaling around 600 seeds, at the end of the season, before the first frost. These can be harvested for sowing the following year, but plants grown from seeds are not necessarily identical to the parent plant.

This distant cousin of the common garden bindweed does not withstand our harsh winters, but that matters little in light of its rampant growth. The 'Shadow Dance' Morning Glory thrives in any well-drained, rich soil that remains slightly moist. Sow it in a warm and sunny location to make the most of its flowering. You can associate it with other ephemeral climbers such as Sweet Peas or Nasturtiums. It voluptuously wraps around trellises, pergolas, obelisks, balcony grilles, trees and bushes, clematis or even wisteria... and if it doesn't find support, it will run along the ground. It's an ideal plant to embellish an old wall, a dead tree...