PlantFiles: Tall Morning Glory
Ipomoea purpurea 'Kniola's Black'

This is my first year for Kniola's Black Knight. It was started indoors in peat cups and transplanted in May. It has grown well, although the vines are not as thick as other cultivars. The color is lovely though and will probably use them as part of a "mix" next year. Seeds mature quickly too. I will be willing to share with anyone who would like some.

This morning glory starts blooming earlier than others, while it is still vining (early July for me). The flowers are a very dark purple color. Flowers were mostly hidden by the leaves. They did not flower very profusely, and in general did not make a very good garden display. The vine is very vigorous and gets huge and heavy - it toppled the trellis it was on by mid-summer (8 ft. tall teepee made of four very thick posts sunk deep into the ground!). I direct seeded into the garden in May, and the seeds did not germinate that year but the next year instead - they may need vernalization or winter sowing.

Alright, I'd like to know who came up with this color scheme to a wonderful vine, they should be fired.

I got a package of "Random vines" and this is the dominant type that's growing. I can see why it's the dominant type after seeing it bloom. They must get a deal of the seeds of the types that don't sell and put them in the random vine package, after seeing this variety I can see why it doesn't sell. Listen people, it's dark, very dark, so dark that in the shade it blends in and you don't notice the flower... and in the sun it's so dark it absorbs the light and you can't notice the flower. Either way, you don't notice the flower! The pictures tell it all, it's not a stop people walking by to see the flowers because no one's going to notice them. It's to the point I have to get within 10 feet of the vine to see any of the flowers, they blend in near perfect with my dark brown house. I wanted people walking by to notice it. I have trouble noticing the flowers when I'm weeding in front of it and have to follow the vines to see if any flowers are blooming because they camouflage brilliantly with their surroundings.

The good point is, it appears to grow faster and stronger than other types of morning glories. In a matter of 4 months the main vine has climbed to the top of my house, back down, and up again. I've never seen a longer/taller morning glory. Maybe that's why it's called the "Tall Morning Glory", also 'Kniola's Black' because the flower is almost black. Also, it appears hardier than other morning glories. But, what good is it since you can't see the flowers.

I hate it, don't get it unless you have some fetish for dark, dark, purple flower that borders on being black. I can only see any practicality for this flower against a white background. I will never buy those random seed packages now that I know this is what's mostly in them. I have so many of these growing and I get so disappointed when I see yet another one of my vines bloom for the first time from that package and it's yet again one of these. Very disappointing.

Very beutiful flower! In my opinion the correct name should be: Knowlian´s black