A bushy plant, not a climber like its notorious close relative the Common Bindweed. It thrives in poor, sandy soil and produces an abundance of eye-catching flowers. Each one is a wide-mouthed trumpet, brightly coloured with a yellow or golden heart. Unfortunately the glory is short-lived – the flowers open in the morning and water in dry weather.
VARIETIES: Several varieties of C. tricolor (C. minor) are available. ‘Royal Ensign’ (1 ½ ft, dark blue with gold centre) is an excellent choice and so is ‘Crimson Monarch’. ‘Blue Flash’ (9 in.) and ‘Rainbow Flash’ are more compact plants – they are suitable for window boxes as well as the front of the bed. The climber Ipomoea purpurea is sometimes listed as C. major.
SITE & SOIL: Any well-drained garden soil will do. Choose a sunny situation.
PLANT DETAILS: Height 9 in. or 1 ½ ft. Spacing 6 or 9 in. Flowering period June – September.
PROPAGATION: Sow seeds in September or March where they are to flower. Thin to required spacing.
