Calystegia purpurata
Morning glory
(c) Garth Harwood, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Convolvulaceae · Type: Vine · Native
Calystegia purpurata (Morning glory) is a native California vine in the Convolvulaceae family, recognized by no sympatric species.
Morning glory is a California native perennial vine found in coastal and central California regions in coastal scrub, chaparral, and grassland habitats. Flowering from April to September, this plant produces white to cream flowers with purple striping, often 4 to 5 centimeters long with a trumpet-like shape. Growing with trailing or strongly climbing stems up to 7 meters long, it develops from a woody underground base. Its triangular to kidney-shaped leaves are 1.5 to 5 centimeters wide, with distinctive spreading lobes that have two or three tips and a V-shaped or nearly closed base. The plant's delicate, climbing stems and uniquely shaped leaves make it a characteristic feature of California's coastal landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; no sympatric species
Habitat and range
California counties: Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Nevada, Solano, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Monterey, San Mateo, Mendocino, Yolo, Lake, Sutter, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Humboldt, San Francisco, San Benito, Merced, Alameda, San Diego, Placer
How to tell it apart
vs Convolvulus: Convolvulus has smaller flowers with sharply pointed stigma lobes; Calystegia stigma lobes are blunt.; vs Ipomoea: Ipomoea stigma is a single rounded knob; Calystegia stigma has two distinct flattened lobes.; vs Datura: Datura flowers are upright with pleated edges; Calystegia flowers are smooth funnels.; vs Abronia: Abronia has clusters of small tubular flowers; Calystegia has single large funnel flowers.; vs Oenothera: Oenothera has four separate petals; Calystegia petals are fused into continuous funnel.
Frequently asked questions
Is Calystegia purpurata native to California?
Yes. Calystegia purpurata is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Calystegia purpurata grow?
Calystegia purpurata occurs in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Nevada, Solano, Marin, Napa, Santa Clara and other counties.
What plant family does Calystegia purpurata belong to?
Calystegia purpurata is in the Convolvulaceae family, genus Calystegia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.