Picotee blue morning glory, or Ipomoea purpurea ‘Picotee Blue, is one of the most beautiful and rewarding flowering vines you can grow. This heirloom variety has big, double flowers that are a beautiful blue-violet color with white edges. If you take good care of your picotee blue morning glories, they will cover fences, arbors, trellises, and other structures with beautiful flowers from midsummer to fall. Here is everything you need to know to choose, plant, and take care of these pretty climbers in your garden.
An Overview of Picotee Blue Morning Glories
Picotee blue morning glory vines are an old-fashioned heirloom variety of the common morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea). This fast-growing, self-seeding annual can easily reach heights of 10 feet or more in a single season.
The blossoms display a rich, royal blue-violet color with a delicate white picotee edge around each petal. Measuring 2-3 inches across, the flowers open fully in the morning sunlight and fade as the day heats up in the afternoon.
Each plant produces flowers continually from midsummer through the first fall frost The abundant blooms appear against a backdrop of heart-shaped, medium green leaves
Not only do picotee blue morning glories look beautiful, but they also bring bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to the garden to pollinate. They grow quickly and don’t need much care, which makes them one of the best choices for covering fences, walls, arbors, and other unsightly structures with bright flowers.
Growing Conditions for Picotee Blue Morning Glories
To maximize growth and achieve the most prolific flowering, picotee blue morning glory vines need:
- Full sun – At least 6 hours of direct sun per day is ideal. Morning sun is especially important.
- Fertile, well-draining soil – Enrich garden beds with compost or aged manure before planting.
- Consistent moisture – Water vines regularly whenever the top few inches of soil become dry. Avoid overwatering.
- Warm temperatures – Growth stalls if nighttime temps drop below 55°F.
- Neutral to slightly acidic soil pH – Add lime if needed to reach the ideal pH range of 6.0-7.0.
- Strong structural support – Provide a trellis, wall, fence, strings or other support for the vines to climb up.
When given proper care and growing conditions, picotee blue morning glories grow vigorously and bloom heavily even in hot, dry weather. They can also tolerate light shade.
How to Plant Picotee Blue Morning Glory Vines
Picotee blue morning glories are only hardy in zones 9-11, so they are grown as fast-growing annual vines in most regions. Here’s how to plant them:
When: Direct sow seeds into the garden after all danger of frost has passed. Soaking seeds in water for 24 hours before planting speeds up germination.
Where: Choose a site with full sun exposure (at least 6 hours daily) and fertile, well-draining soil. Lightly amend heavy clay or sandy soils with compost or organic matter.
How to: Put seeds 1-2 inches deep and 4–6 inches apart in places where you want the vines to grow. Gently water after planting to settle the soil.
Care: Keep seeds consistently moist until they sprout in 7-14 days. Thin seedlings to 1 plant per foot of support structure. Add trellises or strings when plants reach 4-6 inches tall.
Ongoing Care and Maintenance
Once your picotee blue morning glory vines are up and growing, follow these care tips to keep them thriving:
- Water deeply 1-2 times per week during dry spells to maintain even soil moisture. Avoid wetting foliage.
- Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during the active growing season.
- Gently pinch off spent blooms to encourage more flower production.
- Provide strong trellises, strings, nets, or other vertical supports for the rapid growth.
- Watch for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies and other common pests. Use insecticidal soap as needed.
- Mulch around plants to control weeds and retain soil moisture.
- Cut back vines to 6-12 inches after a hard frost kills the foliage in fall.
If you give them the right care, picotee blue morning glories will cover their support structure and bloom heavily from the middle of summer to the fall.
Saving Picotee Blue Morning Glory Seeds
These heirloom vines grow true from seed. To save seeds for planting the following year:
- Allow several spent blossoms to remain on vines without picking them.
- Once dry seed pods form, collect them and place in an envelope.
- Store the envelope in a cool, dry indoor location over winter.
- In spring, remove seeds and soak in water overnight before planting them directly in the garden.
Saving your own seeds ensures you’ll have this eye-catching vine coming back in your garden season after season.
Companion Plants for Picotee Blue Morning Glories
Some great options for companion planting include:
- Sunflowers – Provide natural support structure and height
- Marigolds – Repel pests and attract pollinators
- Zinnias – Add bold color around vine base
- Cosmos – Account for different bloom times
- Nasturtiums – Trailing vines complement upright form
- Beans & peas – Efficient use of vertical growing space
Combining picotee blue morning glories with any of these plants results in an attractive and productive garden design.
Design Ideas for Picotee Blue Morning Glories
There are endless creative ways to incorporate picotee blue morning glory vines in your garden:
- Grow against a garden obelisk, pyramid trellis, or other decorative support in flower beds
- Train vines up strings fanned out on a bare wall or fence for a vertical floral hedge
- Use vines to cover an arbor, pergola, or gazebo to make a living tunnel
- Plant at the base of sunflower stalks or corn plants and allow vines to climb up
- Edge a vegetable garden with morning glories growing up short fence sections
- Mix with other morning glory color varieties like Heavenly Blue for multicolored effect
- Grow in containers on a balcony or patio and train vines onto railings or posts
With proper siting and structural supports, picotee blue morning glories can dramatically enhance vertical spaces in any garden.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Occasionally you may run into issues like:
- Poor germination – Ensure fresh seeds, proper planting depth, and consistent moisture.
- Yellow leaves – Apply nitrogen fertilizer and monitor watering.
- Flower buds drop – Provide maximum sun exposure and avoid overwatering.
- Holes in leaves – Apply insecticidal soap spray to control pests.
- Slow growth – Move to a sunnier site and check for root damage.
- No blooms – Increase sunlight, fertilize, and pinch off faded flowers.
But overall, these carefree vines have minimal pest and disease problems if given proper culture.
FAQs about Picotee Blue Morning Glories
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:
Are picotee blue morning glories perennials?
No, they are annual vines in most climates, living just one season and then dying after a hard fall frost.
What does the “picotee” name mean?
It refers to flowers that have contrasting petal edges – the picotee blue morning glories have white fringe on the royal blue petals.
How can I get my morning glories to grow faster?
For quicker growth, soak seeds before planting, site in full sun, water regularly, and fertilize every 2-3 weeks. Maximize growth in summer heat.
Why are the leaves on my morning glories turning yellow?
Yellowed foliage often indicates a nutrient deficiency. Apply balanced fertilizer and monitor soil moisture levels. Extreme summer heat can also cause yellowing.
How can I get more flowers on my morning glory vines?
Maximize blooms by siting in full sun, using rich soil, maintaining even moisture, pinching spent flowers, and supplying strong structural support.
A Stunning Vertical Accent for Your Garden
With their vibrant two-tone blossoms and vigorous climbing habit, picotee blue morning glories are one of the best vines you can grow for gorgeous vertical color in the garden. Following the tips above for proper planting, care, and troubleshooting will keep these heirloom beauties flowering prolifically from midsummer through fall. Add this eye-catching climber to your landscape for summers full of color!
How to fertilize Picotee Blue Morning Glory
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plants nutrients, repot your Picotee Blue Morning Glory after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
Picotee Blue Morning Glory prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Picotee Blue Morning Glory requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive . Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home .
Greg does not have confirmed data on this plant’s toxicity. If you, a family member, or a pet eats plant matter that you don’t know is poisonous, you should always talk to a doctor.
If you or someone else ingested this plant, call Poison Control at US (800) 222-1222. If a pet consumed this plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA at US (888) 426-4435.
Picotee Blue Morning Glory doesn’t require additional humidity. Because plants take in water through their roots rather than their leaves, watering the soil is the best way to keep your plants moist.
Picotee Blue Morning Glory does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!.
Picotee Blue Morning Glory is a fast growing plant and may deplete the nutrients in its soil over time. Replenish them with a gentle organic fertilizer or compost every 1-2 months depending on your location and season. Fertilize more often during the growing season and in warmer and brighter climates.
Picotee Blue Morning Glory is native to Worldwide.
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Check to see how much light the plant is getting. Too much or too little light can hurt the plant.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
About Picotee Blue Morning Glory
Picotee Blue Morning Glory is a super rare houseplant that needs regular watering to thrive. They do best in long-lasting, direct light ☀️ and should be less than 1 foot from a window.
Picotee Blue Morning Glory likes soil that is well draining. You may want to supplement with a gentle, organic fertilizer throughout the peak growing season.