Morning Glory - Star Of Yelta
This is a stunning and very striking garden plant which can be used as a climber or ground cover subject. The large flower buds open to royal a deep purple, silk-like, 7cm bloom with rich red vein markings, forming a star from the very centre to the petal tips. You can also grow it in a container where it will cascade over the side, and if supported, will climb to form a dome. It flowers in the summer and climbs to approximately 180cm.
Sow March to April. Soak seeds overnight in tepid water before sowing. Sow seed on the surface of a free-draining, damp, seed compost and cover with a layer of compost or vermiculite, 6mm deep. Place in a propagator or seal container in a polythene bag at a temperature of 20-25C until after germination which takes 10-21 days. Do not exclude light as this helps germination. Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into trays or 7.5cm pots. Gradually acclimatise plants to cooler conditions for a few weeks before planting out after all risk of frost, 3cm apart. For pot plants, plant into loam-based soil. Remove spent flowers regularly.