I was not sure when I brought this plant home from Half Moon Bay last summer that it would survive being planted in a large container. It looked like it had weak stems and appeared to be lacking in general hardiness right after I placed it in the soil. It remained in the larger pot for the rest of the season, without a flower; I thought it died during the winter. To my delight, it came back in the spring (sprigs began to emerge from the planter in March). While this Ipomoea is considered to be an annual in my region of the Santa Clara Valley, the roots were just hibernating during the cold months. I didn’t recognize the familial resemblance to morning glory when I chose the 4″ from that nursery months before. In the pot, this vine grew all summer, with dark Clematis-looking green leaves and without a hint of flowers. Some days I would marvel at the braided vines that seemed crazed, reaching in several places, entwining its stems onto nearby tomato plants, willing itself to grow as big as its container and my watering would let. And then suddenly, in early fall, it was covered in firecracker red, orange, and cream, blooms. This plant does not disappoint. It is a thirsty plant that needed no feeding if your soil is good. Likes to get its morning sun on. Wilts if it is hot and recovers its strength in the cool end of the day. The hummingbird that has been visiting every morning is so happy to know this plant. This is why we plant these things.

(First Published in 2013)