Is morning glory poisonous, and when is the right time to plant it?

Morning glory, also called bellflower, comes in many varieties and colors. Its seeds have medicinal value and considerable economic value. So, is morning glory poisonous? When should morning glory be planted? What does morning glory planting management involve? Let's take a look together!

1. Is morning glory poisonous?

Morning glory is poisonous. The whole plant is toxic, with the seeds being the most toxic part, containing substances such as pharbitin. When consumed in large amounts, besides directly irritating the gastrointestinal tract and causing vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloody stools, it may also irritate the kidneys and cause hematuria. In severe cases it can damage the cranial nerves; if the hypoglossal nerve is severely damaged in particular, it can cause paralysis of tongue movement leading to speech impairment, and may even cause coma and other poisoning symptoms. After harvesting the seeds, storage must be handled carefully, especially to prevent children from accidentally swallowing them. If accidental ingestion occurs, seek medical attention promptly.

2. When should morning glory be planted?

Morning glory is generally planted in spring and summer. Propagation is usually done by sowing seeds, with no need for pre-sprouting, and there are no soil requirements; of course, nutrient soil or similar can be used, and ordinary flower soil works too. When sowing, soak the seeds in warm water, and after 4-6 hours treat them moderately with sulfuric acid, then scatter them in the soil and cover with a thick layer of soil, about 1 cm is enough. After sowing, cover with about 2 cm of soil, then water thoroughly. Generally they sprout in about 3-5 days and bloom in June-July. The most important thing is light; with sufficient light they bloom easily.

3. Morning glory planting management

1. Water and fertilizer

To grow morning glory, choose a well-draining potting soil and provide full sunlight and a well-ventilated environment. During the growing period, water when the soil surface is slightly dry, and apply dilute liquid fertilizer once every half month. Do not use too much nitrogen fertilizer, to avoid excessively lush stems and leaves. Potted plants need support poles, because morning glory grows by twining around a vine.

2. Pinching

Once the potting soil has settled, insert a thin bamboo pole about 1 m long straight into the center of the pot. Then take about 3 m of galvanized wire, wrap one end around the bamboo pole level with the soil surface, and then wind it upward in a spiral from the rim of the pot, forming an evenly tapered tower-shaped spiral frame that is wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. Fix the upper end of the wire to the top of the bamboo pole. Morning glory is a left-twining plant, so the spiral direction of the wire must match morning glory's habit of twining to the left. When the main vine climbs along the wire to the top of the pole, pinch off the growing tip; for side vines, pinch the tip each time they grow to 6 to 7 leaves. This will make the flowers larger and keep producing new vines and blooms.

3. Pests and diseases

Morning glory is mainly prone to white rust. The affected parts are mainly the leaves, leaf stalks and tender stems. On affected leaves, small light green spots first appear. If this happens, promptly pull up and destroy the diseased plants to reduce infection of the seeds. Select and keep disease-free seeds for propagation. Before sowing, disinfect the seeds, and avoid crop rotation with plants in the Convolvulaceae family. At the early stage of the disease, spray 1% Bordeaux mixture or 500-times diluted 50% phosethyl-Al; spraying once every 10-15 days gives a good control effect.

The above is Tuliu.com's editor's summary for you on whether morning glory is poisonous and when to plant morning glory. We hope it helps you!