PlantFiles: Lady Doorly's Morning Glory, Cardinal Creeper
Ipomoea horsfalliae

I have not grown Ipomoea horsfalliae which is grows natively in Puerto Rico, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and Brazil. It is naturalized in Jamaica and Japan. I have observed it growing in Maui, Hawaii as a cultivated plant. Ipomoea horsfalliae is also known as Prince Kuhio vine and prince's vine being named after Hawaii's Prince Kuhio who grew it on his property in Waikiki. Why a positive rating? Because it is one of the most beautiful vines I have ever seen both foliage-wise and bloom-wise. The 5 to 6 inch long, dark green, glossy, wavy-margined leaves are rounded in outline; however, they are palmate with 5 to 7 lobes. The bloom buds resemble berries and are very attractive. The blooms are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The bloom color is almost indescribable ... a shockingly bright fuscia. I wish it was hardy in my zone. It will form a tuber with age from which suckers emerge so it might be difficult to dig up if one would need to do so. Difficult to propagate because it sets seeds irregularly in cultivation, it can be propagated by cuttings of shoots; however, cuttings do not root easily. As are other Ipomoeas grown as perennials, it also can be propagated from division of the roots, by layering and by grafting onto the roots of its own kind or other species. Grafting is frequently used to propagate this plant. Unlike most members of its genus, Ipomoea horsfalliae is a slow grower and may take 2 to 3 years to reach 8 to 10 feet. Because it blooms in the winter, it is seldom grown in areas that are not frost free.

Beautiful Tropical Creeper, flowers prolifically May and October (Cairns Australia) responds well to hard pruning.