# Beach Morning Glory (*Ipomoea pes-caprae*) Beach Morning Glory is a beautiful flower that grows near sandy beaches. Its bright purple petals open up in the morning sun and close at night, making it a lovely sight for beachgoers. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Beach Vine, Coastal Morning Glory ![Beach Morning Glory](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%E0%B4%85%E0%B4%9F%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%8D_Ipomoea_pes-caprae_02.jpg&width=800) Photo: Drajay1976, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E0%B4%85%E0%B4%9F%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%AA%E0%B5%8D_Ipomoea_pes-caprae_02.jpg) ## Appearance The Beach Morning Glory is a sprawling vine with thick, notched, heart-shaped leaves and large, trumpet-shaped flowers. Its blooms are typically pinkish-purple with a paler, sometimes white, throat, making it distinct on sandy coasts. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Convolvulaceae - **Genus:** Ipomoea ## Interesting facts - Its flowers open at sunrise and often close by afternoon, following the sun! - Its scientific name means 'goat's foot' because of its unique leaf shape! - People in some cultures traditionally use its leaves to treat jellyfish stings! - This plant can grow up to 30 meters long, spreading across vast beaches! ## Special abilities - **Sand Anchor:** Beach Morning Glory can spread wide roots that hold loose sand in place, preventing beach erosion. - **Ocean Voyager:** Beach Morning Glory has seeds that float in saltwater, allowing them to travel across oceans to new shores. - **Sun Seeker:** Beach Morning Glory can grow long, creeping stems that quickly spread over sand, finding the best sunny spots. - **Salt Shield:** Beach Morning Glory has special adaptations to tolerate salty air and soil where most other plants cannot survive. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 100-1000 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Year-round in tropical areas, summer-fall elsewhere - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Drinks nectar and carries pollen. - **Pollinates:** White-lined Sphinx Moth (*Hyles lineata*) — Visits flowers at dusk and dawn. - **Eaten by:** Great Eggfly (*Hypolimnas bolina*) — Caterpillars feed on its leaves. - **Shelter:** Ghost Crab (*Ocypode quadrata*) — Hides under its leaves from predators. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [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. - [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. - [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? 100-1000 cm ### How big are the flowers on Beach Morning Glory? 4-8 cm ### When does Beach Morning Glory bloom? Year-round in tropical areas, summer-fall elsewhere ### Is Beach Morning Glory edible? Yes ### Is Beach Morning Glory toxic? None ### What is Beach Morning Glory's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Key West Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/key-west-aquarium) — US · Zoo - [Texas State Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/texas-state-aquarium) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Fort De Soto Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-de-soto-park) — US · Nature Reserve - [Curry Hammock State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/curry-hammock-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park - [Cayo Costa State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cayo-costa-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park - [Fort Matanzas National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-matanzas-national-monument) — Florida, US · National Park [View all places to see Beach Morning Glory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/beach-morning-glory) ## 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)