Purple morning glory is a vigorous climber with purple flowers that can smother the ground and grow high into the canopy. It outcompetes native plants and is poisonous to people and animals.
Purple morning glory is a vigorous climber that forms a dense ground cover or climbs over other vegetation, sometimes high into the canopy. It:
Invasion and establishment of exotic vines and scramblers has been identified as a key threatening process for many vulnerable and endangered species in NSW. Purple morning glory is one of the main species listed as a threat.
Purple morning glory may contain calystegines which are mildly poisonous to horses, cattle, sheep and goats.
The seeds are poisonous to humans and can cause nausea and temporary vision problems. However, plants rarely produce seeds in Australia.
Purple morning glory is a scrambling perennial vine with long, twining stems, It grows quickly and can reach up to 15 m high into tree canopies.
Purple morning glory looks like other vine weeds including:
Purple morning glory grows in coastal areas of NSW especially around the Greater Sydney and North Coast regions. Scattered plants have also been found in the North West region. It used to be widely grown as an ornamental garden plant.
It is native to South America.
Purple morning glory grows in moist tropical, subtropical and temperate climates. It tolerates a wide variety of soil types though it grows best in moist nutrient-rich soils. It does not grow in temperatures below 7ºC. Plants have been found growing:
Purple morning glory can set viable seeds in NSW. Seeds can be spread by people dumping garden waste.
Purple morning glory stems grow roots from nodes that contact the soil. Broken stems and roots can spread:
Harden, G. J., McDonald, W. J. F., & Williams, J. B. (2007). Rainforest climbing plants. Gwen Harden Publishing.
Identic Pty Ltd. and Lucid central (2016). Environmental Weeds of Australia Fact sheet: Ipomoea indica. Retrieved 10 October 2023 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/ipomoea_indica.htm
McKenzie, R. (2012). Australia's poisonous plants, fungi and cyanobacteria: a guide to species of medical and veterinary importance. CSIRO.
Muyt, A. (2001). Bush invaders of South-East Australia: a guide to the identification and control of environmental weeds found in South-East Australia. RG and FJ Richardson.
Office of Environment and Heritage. (2017). Invasion and establishment of exotic vines and scramblers – profile. Retrieved 10 October 202 from https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=20052
PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 10 October 2023 from: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Ipomoea~indica
Successful weed control relies on follow up after the initial efforts. This means looking for and killing regrowth or new seedlings. Using a combination of control methods is usually more successful.
To manage purple morning glory control plants as soon as possible before the infestation spreads and check treated areas and control regrowth and new seedlings.
Climbing stems can be cut and left hanging to wither and die. Make sure no cut stems have contact with the soil. Dig out the roots carefully as they will regrow from parts left in the ground.
Apply to actively growing plants. Cover all of the foliage with the herbicide mix. This method is best for low growing vines.
This method reduces the risk of damaging the plants that the vines are growing over. Cut stems and ensure no parts of the plant above the cut are touching the ground. Lightly scrape the stems along 20 – 30 cm from the cut. Do not scrape all the way around. Apply herbicide to the cut and scraped parts of the stem within 15 seconds of cutting.
Cut stems close to the ground, preferably within 10 cm from the soil. Apply herbicide gel to the cut surface connected to the soil within15 seconds of cutting. Climbing stems can be left in place to wither and die. If there are any stems touching the ground, collect them and either take them off-site for disposal, or leave them on site to dry out without contacting the soil.
Contact your local council for advice on how to dispose of this plant
See Using herbicides for more information.
PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 200 mL per 10 L of water
Comments: Spot-spray for seedling control.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 1 part glyphosate per 1.5 parts water
Comments: Stem scraping application.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 9907 Expires 31/03/2025
Glyphosate 360 g/L
with Metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg (Various products)
Rate: 200 mL glyphosate plus 1.5g of metsulfuron-methyl in 10 L water
Comments: Spot spray application
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Dichlorprop 600 g/L
(Lantana 600®)
Rate: 1 L in 200 L of water
Comments: Completely wet all leaves and stem of target plants
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate
Picloram 44.7 g/L + Aminopyralid 4.47 g/L
(Vigilant II ®)
Rate: Undiluted
Comments: Cut stem application. Apply a 3–5 mm layer of gel for stems less than 20 mm. Apply 5 mm layer on stems above 20 mm .
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.
Area | Duty |
---|---|
All of NSW | General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. |
Reviewed 2024