My Deer Garden

Is Morning Glory deer resistant?

Ipomoea sp.

Purple morning glory flower
Photo by Cbaile19, CC0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Occasionally damaged

Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.

Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271

Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten

About Morning Glory

Each flower opens at dawn and is finished by afternoon. Nick or soak the hard seed before sowing to improve germination, and never feed it, since rich soil gives all vine and no flower. It self-sows persistently and is a serious agricultural weed in some regions.

Soil and care

Soil pH
6 to 7.5
Drainage
Average garden soil
Water
Moderate
Spacing
10 to 14 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Low

Deer-resistant alternatives to Morning Glory

Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Morning Glory keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.

Similar to Morning Glory

Other annuals with the same deer rating.

Protecting Morning Glory

Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.

Where Morning Glory grows

Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.

Browse from here

Every list Morning Glory belongs to.

Hardy in these zones

Common questions about Morning Glory

Is Morning Glory deer resistant?
Morning Glory (Ipomoea sp.) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
What hardiness zones does Morning Glory grow in?
Morning Glory is hardy in USDA zones 2 to 11. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat. That is the range across the genus, so a named species or cultivar may be narrower.
Does Morning Glory grow in shade?
No. Morning Glory wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
Is Morning Glory toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Morning Glory as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.