# beach morning-glory (*Ipomoea imperati*) The beach morning-glory is a beautiful flower that grows near sandy beaches. Its bright, colorful blooms open in the morning and close in the afternoon, making it a lovely sight for beachgoers. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![beach morning-glory](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Starr_010309-0539_Ipomoea_imperati.jpg&width=800) Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_010309-0539_Ipomoea_imperati.jpg) ## Appearance The beach morning-glory has large, funnel-shaped flowers, typically white or pale pink with a yellow throat, that open in the morning. Its thick, fleshy, kidney-shaped leaves are glossy green and grow on long, sprawling stems. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Convolvulaceae - **Genus:** Ipomoea ## Interesting facts - Its beautiful flowers usually only stay open for one morning before closing forever. - Some call it 'railroad vine' because it grows super fast along the ground! - The seeds can stay alive for many years, just waiting for the right moment to sprout! - You can find this tough plant on warm beaches all around the world! ## Special abilities - **Sand Anchor:** Beach morning-glory can grow deep roots that help it hold onto loose sand, preventing beaches from washing away. - **Salt Shield:** This plant has special leaves that can handle salty ocean spray, allowing it to thrive where other plants cannot. - **Water Hoarder:** Beach morning-glory has thick, fleshy leaves that store precious water, helping it survive dry, sandy conditions. - **Ocean Traveler:** Its lightweight seeds can float on ocean currents for weeks, allowing it to colonize new distant beaches. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 50-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Warm months to year-round - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Feeds on flower nectar, aiding in pollination. - **Eaten by:** [Seaside grasshopper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/seaside-grasshopper) (*Trimerotropis maritima*) — Feeds on the leaves and stems in sandy habitats. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay on paths and don't pick flowers without permission. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify beach morning-glory? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is beach morning-glory? 5-30 cm ### How wide does beach morning-glory spread? 50-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on beach morning-glory? 4-8 cm ### When does beach morning-glory bloom? Warm months to year-round ### Is beach morning-glory edible? No ### Is beach morning-glory toxic? None ### What is beach morning-glory's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Gulf Breeze Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gulf-breeze-zoo) — Florida, US · Zoo - [Pawleys Island Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pawleys-island-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Doctor Julian G. Bruce Saint George Island State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/doctor-julian-g-bruce-saint-george-island-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park [View all places to see beach morning-glory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/beach-morning-glory-1595) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Beach Morning-glory: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/beach-morning-glory-1595)