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Ipomoea leptophylla - Torr.

Common Name Bush Moon Flower
Family Convolvulaceae
USDA hardiness 8-11
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Plains and dry banks, especially on sandy shores[85].
Range Southern N. America - South Dakota to Nebraska, Wyoming, New Mexico and Texas.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Half Hardy Moist Soil Full sun
Ipomoea leptophylla Bush Moon Flower


Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, United States
Ipomoea leptophylla Bush Moon Flower
Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, United States

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Ipomoea leptophylla is a PERENNIAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root
Edible Uses:

Root - raw or cooked. Crisp, sweet and tender[2, 46, 61, 85]. Some reports suggest that the root is not very nice and was only used when nothing else was available, this is probably because old roots were tried[85, 257]. Roots should be no more than 3 years old, preferably only 2[85]. The roots can be up to 1.2 metres long[2] and weigh 11 kilos[235]. This report almost certainly refers to roots older than 3 years[K].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Cardiac  Miscellany  Salve  Stomachic

This plant was used as a cardiac stimulant by some native North American Indian tribes[213]. An infusion of the staminate cones has been used as a stomach tonic[257]. The root has been scraped and eaten raw as a treatment for stomach troubles[257]. The pulverized root has been dusted onto the body as a dressing to ease pain[257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Miscellany

Some native North American Indian tribes would use the root to store fire in the days before matches. They would start a fire in the root, wrap it up and hang it outside. It was said that the fire would keep for seven months[257].

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Requires a rich well-drained soil in a warm sunny position[1]. Requires greenhouse protection in Britain[1]. A plant survived 2 winters outdoors in a pot in Cornwall before succumbing to a very wet and cold winter[K]. This does suggest that the plant is hardy enough to survive outdoors at least in the milder parts of Britain[K]. A climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around the branches of other plants[219]. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. The root pattern is tuberous with swollen potato-like roots [1-2].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

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Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water, or scarify the seed, and sow in individual pots in a greenhouse in early spring. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at 22°c. Plants are extremely resentful of root disturbance, even when they are quite small, and should be potted up almost as soon as they germinate[219]. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of side shoots in a peaty soil. Layering.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Ipomoea albaMoonflower, Tropical white morning-gloryPerennial Climber10.0 7-10 FLMNM210
Ipomoea aquaticaKangkong, Swamp Morning GloryAnnual/Perennial0.5 10-12 FLMHNMWeWa422
Ipomoea batatasSweet Potato, Black Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato VinePerennial Climber3.0 10-12 FLMNM503
Ipomoea jalapaJalapClimber3.0 -  LMHSNM03 
Ipomoea nilJapanese Morning Glory, Whiteedge morning-gloryAnnual5.0 8-11 FLMHNM02 
Ipomoea pandurataWild Potato Vine, Man of the earthPerennial Climber3.5 6-9 FLMHNM322
Ipomoea purpureaCommon Morning Glory, Tall morning-gloryAnnual Climber2.5 6-9 FLMHNM020
Ipomoea sagittataSaltmarsh Morning Glory, Saltmarsh morning-glory 0.0 0-0  LMHSNM01 
Ipomoea tricolorMorning Glory, GrannyvinePerennial Climber5.0 10-11 FLMHNM01 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

Torr.

Botanical References

1274

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

JOHN DOHMAN   Fri Oct 22 03:19:55 2004

TONIGHTS NEWS SAID KIDS WERE DOINNG SOMETHING TO GET HIGH ETC WITH THE MOON FLOWER,WHAT ELSE!

   Fri Mar 10 2006

I think your zone information may be too conservative for this species. It is native to the nebraska sandhills, for instance and is in zone 4 there.

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