Something new, for me, under the sun.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Guess what this is. The first correct answer will win a prize , which can be refused with no hard feelings : ) Someone described it as looking like a swirl of pistachio ice cream.

Over the years I've planted moonflower (Ipomoea alba) seeds a few times with no success. This year I saw a small plant in a pot and bought it. The plant looks dreadful, it has a virus I think. But the flowers thrive and are magical This is in the same family as morning glories. The flower opens in late afternoon and lasts just one day. But the flowers are huge and practically glow in the dark.

Above the gorgeous bud.

A bud about to open, a partially open flower, and an open flower:

The flowers are huge, easily 6 inches across.

Maybe Joanne will have better luck with seeds than me. I have morning glories that seed themselves year after year.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

My F. seeds did not germinate either, however the packet seeds did...still starting small.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

 BE PATIENT.

It took a lot longer to germinate than the packet said.  I still have a few that are just now popping through.  

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

And so, almost a year to the date, I want to Thank F. for giving me such a beautiful flower. It was a tough year, but I made sure, this plant more than any other survived the drought. 

Thank You, F,  I thought of you every day   :)   

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh, it's beautiful!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Aw, J I needed this today. Gardening is such a great way to share and remember people. I am really delighted these grew for you.

[F, Calla & Luca]

J, I looked longer. I fear these are your moonflowers not mine. It doesn't matter since you thought of me. But look at the leaves and the little points on the flowers. They look more like your pictures from last year than mine.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

OH no. I can certainly tell the difference between your seeds  and the seeds from my pod. It is only size.  The seeds in the packet you sent, are the very same, the plants are much smaller, but seem to bush, were my seeds grew huge plants. The leaves and coloring are the same.

 Let me go try and show you.  BRB

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

P.S.  You did send one tiny bud from the original vine too. If that came up, I have yet to notice it among the garden.  It did sprout and was placed, however I have not seen anything wanting to vine in that area. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

If you remember last year, I was down to ONE lonely sick pod.  Kind of sad because I had drug this plant from 3 different houses for many years.  It was very sentimental to me.

You sent me both a package of new seeds and just a little bud from the plant posted in this discussion. 

Look close at this picture to the leaf comparison.   The smaller leaf is YOURS  :)  

There is a small difference-color and size, yet still the same glorious flower. I have so many now, I will have plants for many more years to come.

They are planted in different areas so I can't show size difference except for the leaves. 

What do you think?

I know what I am talking about. I've been living with the seeds, the germination, the seperation of pots and plants, and staring at them all for months!!!

This is the F. FLOWER as it is named

[F, Calla & Luca]

Well then, I think the seeds I bought were not the same as the plant I had but like the ones you had, or yours self seeded : ) The leaves on the plant I had were a definite heart shape like other morning glories. You can see them in the pictures I posted. Since none of them worked for me this year I have no current comparison. That pod is also very different than the pods my plant had. It's all good!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

It is all good and so beautiful

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We will work on this next Moon Flower that is in the discussion. Not giving up on it either.  Time to start scowering yards and public places to help ourselves to a pinch