# coast morning glory (*Calystegia macrostegia*) The coast morning glory is a beautiful flower that blooms along the coast. Its bright, trumpet-shaped flowers open in the morning and close at night, making it a special sight to see! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![coast morning glory](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Calystegia_macrostegia_2003-04-07.jpg&width=800) Photo: Copyright by Curtis Clark, licensed as noted, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calystegia_macrostegia_2003-04-07.jpg) ## Appearance The coast morning glory is a trailing or climbing vine with large, trumpet-shaped flowers, usually pure white, sometimes tinged pink. Its distinctive arrowhead-shaped leaves grow along stems that twine around other plants or objects, creating a beautiful groundcover or climber. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Convolvulaceae - **Genus:** Calystegia ## Interesting facts - Coast morning glory seeds can remain dormant for many years, waiting for perfect conditions to sprout! - It grows incredibly fast, blanketing large areas with its vines like a living green carpet! - Its beautiful flowers gracefully unfurl only in the morning sun, often closing up by afternoon! - This plant is a distant cousin to the sweet potato, but its roots are not for eating! ## Special abilities - **Sun Seeker:** Coast morning glory can climb high with its twining stems, reaching for sunlight in dense coastal vegetation. - **Sand Anchor:** Coast morning glory has deep, spreading rhizomes that help it anchor firmly in loose sand dunes and survive dry spells. - **Coastal Survivor:** Coast morning glory can tolerate salty air and sandy soils, allowing it to thrive where many other plants struggle. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-200 cm - **Spread:** 30-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-7 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring-Fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Painted Lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — Feeds on nectar, helping to spread pollen. - **Eaten by:** Grey field slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Slugs sometimes graze on its leaves. ## Traits - [Climbing/Vine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/climbing-vine): Climbing or vine plants are characterized by a growth habit that allows them to ascend upwards by twining, tendrils, or adhesive roots. - [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. - [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. - [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 look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify coast 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 coast morning glory? 30-200 cm ### How wide does coast morning glory spread? 30-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on coast morning glory? 4-7 cm ### When does coast morning glory bloom? Spring-Fall ### Is coast morning glory edible? No ### Is coast morning glory toxic? Mild ### What is coast morning glory's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Arroyo Conejo Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arroyo-conejo-open-space) — California, US · Park - [Conejo Valley Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/conejo-valley-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Crystal Cove Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/crystal-cove-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Little Italy](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/little-italy) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Point Dume State Beach](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/point-dume-state-beach) — California, US · State Park - [Presidio Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/presidio-park) — California, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see coast morning glory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/coast-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: [Coast Morning Glory: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coast-morning-glory)