Calystegia macrostegia

Identification

Gallery

Description

This coastal/Island Morning Glory is a twining vine with large creamy flowers. Calystegia macrostegia is native in rocky areas of coastal chaparral and coastal sage scrub on most of the channel islands. Does best in afternoon shade in interior heat, or full sun near coast. In coastal gardens it is glorious for fence lines or to cover that really ugly block wall. For much of the year it is in flower and a luscious, herbaceous perennial from a woody base (caudex). We normally grow the island form as it has larger, more succulent foliage. If this morning glory gets too dry during the summer it will go deciduous so wash it down occasionally. We've used it as a groundcover on really steep north or east-facing slopes.