Problems With Morning Glories: Morning Glory Vine Diseases

Morning glories are perennials with funnel-shaped, fragrant flowers that grow from a vine and come in many bright colors such as blue, pink, purple, and white. These beautiful flowers open at the first sunlight and last throughout the day. These typically hardy vines, however, can sometimes suffer problems.

Morning Glory Problems

Problems with morning glories can vary but may include environmental issues and fungal diseases of morning glory.

Environmental problems with morning glories

When the leaves of a morning glory turn yellow, it is usually a sign that something is not right with your plant. Insufficient sunlight can be a cause of yellowing leaves, as morning glories require full sun to flourish. To remedy this, you can transplant your morning glory to a sunnier spot in the garden or trim any plants that are blocking the sun. Another cause of yellow leaves is either under-watering or over-watering. Once your morning glory has been watered, let the soil dry before re-watering. Morning glories do well in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-10, be sure that you are in one of these zones for best results.

Morning glory vine diseases

A fungal disease called rust is another culprit of yellowing leaves. To diagnose whether your plant has rust or not, look closely at the leaves. There will be powdery pustules on the backside of the leaf. They are what cause the leaf to turn yellow or even orange. To prevent this from happening, do not overhead water your morning glory and remove any infected leaves. Canker is a disease that causes the stem of the morning glory to be sunken-in and brown. It wilts the ends of the leaves and then spreads onto the stem. It is a fungus that, if not taken care of, will affect the whole plant. If you suspect that your morning glory has this fungus, cut away the infected vine and dispose of it.

Problems with Morning Glory Pests

Morning glories can be infested with pests too such as the cotton aphid, the leaf miner, and the leafcutter. The cotton aphid likes to attack the plant in the morning. This insect ranges in color from yellow to black, and you can find them in masses on your leaves. The leaf miner does just that, it mines or bores holes into the leaves. A green caterpillar called the leafcutter severs the stalks of the leaves and causes them to wilt. This pest likes to do his damage at night. The best way to rid your morning glory of these pests is by using organic pest control and keeping your plant as healthy and happy as possible.