Biosecurity Spotters logo

Purple morning glory (Ipomoea indica)

Once widely cultivated as an ornamental, purple morning glory is now naturalised in coastal areas of Australia. It can form dense ground cover or climb into the canopy, smothering native vegetation and affecting crops, plantations and urban areas.

Key facts

Type: Weed, vine and creeper.

Native to: South America.

Established in: QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA, WA.

Other names: Blue morning glory, Blue dawnflower, Dunny creeper, Lear’s morning glory.

Best time to act: Flowers mainly from September to June, and treatment by cut-stem methods is suited to plants that are actively growing and not stressed.

Identification

  • A vigorous perennial climber with hairy, twining stems that can grow up to 15 metres high.
  • Its hairy, heart-shaped leaves are mostly divided into three to five prominent lobes.
  • Blue to purple, funnel-shaped flowers are 6 to 8 cm across and grow in clusters of 3 to 12.
  • The fruit is a roughly spherical, three-chambered capsule about 10 mm across; fruit and seed are rarely produced in Australia.
  • Look-alike: Common morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea) is similar, but its sepals have acute tips; purple morning glory has long, tapering sepals.

Where it grows

In Australia it occurs mainly in coastal and subcoastal areas, including riparian zones, roadsides, watercourses, urban areas and rainforest margins, and is recorded in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

Why it matters

  • It can compete with trees and shrubs along forest edges and riparian zones.
  • Dense infestations can smother native vegetation, either as ground cover or by climbing into the canopy.
  • It is also a weed of summer crops, plantations, disturbed sites, open woodlands and urban wasteland.
  • The plant can cause discomfort and irritation in people; its seeds are poisonous if ingested.

How it spreads

  • New roots can form at stem nodes that contact the soil, allowing vegetative spread.
  • In Australia, spread is more likely from stem fragments, often through careless disposal of plant material.
  • Spread by water and birds is also reported.

Control options

  • Physical removal and registered herbicides can be used together; remove the stem, crown and roots to reduce regrowth.
  • Hand-pull or dig out the roots, and remove and dispose of roots and stems offsite.
  • Foliar application may be effective in dense ground cover; individual stems can be scraped and treated with herbicide, or cut and treated when actively growing and not stressed.
  • Remove stem fragments from the site because they can root and form new plants.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Avoid carelessly moving or disposing of stem fragments, as they can root where they contact soil and form new plants.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Not declared. Not on the NT A to Z weed list, and Weeds Australia does not list it as declared in the NT. Check the NT declared weeds list before moving or planting it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • Tasmania: Biosecurity Act 2019 (Tas), administered by Biosecurity Tasmania
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources