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Moonflower
Ipomoea alba
Moonflower blooms from July through September.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Moonflower
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 13 ft tall and 4.9 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Moonflower
Plant Moonflower in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 9 to 11 range, spring means January to March and fall means October or November. Once settled, it blooms from July to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in January.
Good to know about Moonflower
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Only the seeds are the hazard: they hold LSA ergot alkaloids. Eating them causes vomiting and, in quantity, hallucinations. ASPCA lists it toxic to dogs, cats and horses. per ASPCA and PubMed Central
Worth knowing
The signature show: each large white trumpet, about 6 inches across, unfurls in just a few minutes at dusk, perfumes the evening, and closes by the next morning. per NC State and University of Florida
Full sun versus part shade
Both sources call it a sun plant, but only one allows partial shade. Full sun gives the heaviest bloom; in shade it flowers less. Treat shade as a compromise. per NC State and University of Florida
Two plants share this name
Datura is also sold as 'moonflower' and is far more dangerous: every part is extremely toxic and can be fatal. Check the botanical name, Ipomoea alba, before you buy. per NC State and Wisconsin
Nick or soak the seeds
The hard seed coat blocks water, so germination is unreliable unless you nick each seed with a file or soak it overnight in warm water before sowing. per NC State and University of Florida
Give it a support
It climbs by twining its stems around a support, not by tendrils or sticky pads, so give it a trellis, arbor, fence, or strings at planting. per NC State and University of Florida
Feeds night-flying hawk moths
This is a specialist night-moth flower: large hawk moths, drawn to its pale, tubular, fragrant blooms, hover to sip nectar with a very long tongue and pollinate it. per NC State and USDA
What pairs well with Moonflower
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Canterbury Bells
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; lower at 2.3 ft, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Stock
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 1.6 ft, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
African Daisy
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; a soft color beside the yellow.
Gardenia
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; opens in late spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 3.9 ft, for the front of the border.
Dill
Shares full sun and moderate water; opens in early summer and overlaps into this one's season; lower at 3 ft, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage.
Pampas Grass
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; lower at 8.2 ft, for the front of the border.
Rosemary
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; they only overlap in zones 9 to 10.
Aloe
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; opens in late spring and overlaps into this one's season; a soft color beside the yellow.
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