Willie, I had to laugh when I read your page! TV status back yard? I guess mine would depend on whether I'm watching "Cops" or "Victory Garden." Anyhow, I never heard of the HMMG, but it intrigued me, so I went cyber-searching. I found out all kinds of info, but no source of seeds. Even those sites bragging about 'hundreds' of varieties usually only had a few and they were the common ones. Did you find any on the seed exchanges? BTW, where in TX is the air dry and windy. (Other than El Paso?)

Hi Tommy. Thanks for your response to my question. Like you say, lots of research, but no hint of seed source. Have been to Sierra Vista several times and when I saw the term Hucahuca Mountain MG I became very interested in trying to get a start. This being a native plant, guess it's going to take an Arizona gardener with an interest to ever find any seed.

I have a great interest in "verticle farming" and next year will probably have 20+ varieties of MG, including Texas Wine (my name for it) and some of the Japanese MG varieties.

Willie

LOL - interesting. You wouldn't believe what a controversy MG's and their seeds has caused in this forum - someone even quit (in a bit of a huff, if I might add!). They're actually illeagal in this state, but not diffficult to find, if that makes any sense.

They certainly are gorgeous flowers.... I saw one in a catalog the other day - looked like a dusty-toned piece of pink silk. Just beautiful.

wow... I didn't actually know it was illegal... when I was in Fiji, the US used morning glory as a natural cover... it took over and it covers entire forests... you can't get rid of it... it was the like the kudzu of the south... hmm... would it do the same thing here if it was grown??
Brittany

I really don't know if MG is illegal in AZ, or, if it is just illegal to bring or ship it into the state. I really doubt if MG would take over in an area as dry as AZ. In Fiji where it is humid and tropical it is possible. I have lots of MG in my back yard and on some acreage I own and have NEVER had any proplem with it taking over anything I didn't want it to take over.

Probably the main push to declare it illegal in AZ came from the irrigated cotton farmers who had problems with it getting into the cotton and creating problems in harvesting, etc. However, there are numerous states who raise large amounts of cotton and they don't seem to have any problem with MG's. It would be interesting to hear comments from some knowledgeable AZ people on this.

If the HMMG grows wild in AZ, it makes me wonder if it does create problems for farmers. Course it might not grow in areas where the crops are raised.

"It would be interesting to hear comments from some knowledgeable AZ people on this."

Oh, no, Willie; we've had all the "interesting" conversation we need for the next 5 years about MGs. Like Pagancat said, some people left in a twit; some people logged on from out of state and got downright righteous, and the rest of us pretty much stayed with the opinions we had when the whole brouhaha started!

"I really don't know if MG is illegal in AZ, or, if it is just illegal to bring or ship it into the state."

That's pretty much what the regs say and there's plenty of MGs here. Perhaps someone will actually recognize the plant you're searching for and send you some seeds!

You are exactly correct, the alias "bindweed" says it all. Whether or not it is any worse for the cotton growers here than anywhere else, I have no idea... because of our mild winters, many plants treated as annuals elsewhere become perennials here - I don't know if that is true of the MG's. And I believe you are also correct about the shipping being the main cause for concern. We have so many invasives around already, it's merely one of many.

But if it grows in Sierra Vista, that could be the reason right there for it not being more prevalent; it doesn't get as hot there as it does in Phoenix, or even Tucson, I believe - could be sensitive to the heat in some way, shape or form.

Sorry I'm not more helpful, Willie, good luck in your quest!

I hear what you are saying TF. As my old cowboy uncle used to say, "Every tub's got to set on it's own bottom." Arizona sure needs to call it like it sees it. My interest in the matter was strictly due to the native HMMG and amazement that it seems to get along OK in a "hostile" environment. LOL

Here's wishing a good rain for all the AZ gardeners!

Thanks for the good wishes, Willie. As usual some of us got downpours while others just got a sniff of distant rain. But the monsoon's not over, so there's still hope. As for your elusive MG, why not dig one up next time you're in Sierra Vista?

Not a bad idea,TF. Probably won't have occasion to be back in Sierra Vista anytime soon. Also there's the problem of trying to find the plant in the wild and time needed to do it. So, guess the answer is finding someone in the area with an interest.

Ipomoea Plummerae
Huachuca Mountain Morningglory
Extending from Mexico into Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
This includes the Huachuca Mountains, in southern Arizona,
and Fort Huachuca - U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground. Sierra Vista is just outside the gate at Fort Huachuca and was formerly the town of Frye.
The Huachuca Mountains are rugged.

Good information DD. It is indeed rugged country so it must be a tough plant. Homeland of Cochise and his Apaches. Have you ever seen the HMMG growing wild in your area?

A mountain flower that most ain't seen
And prob'ly most don't care
Heck city folks they just don't know
It's even growin' there

Cool, more poetry - we had a thread going on that one for quite a while on our conversations area. Maybe you should move to AZ, Willie - you seem to fit in quite well!

Unfortunately for you, Dirt Dew lives about a mile or so from me - 10 minutes or so from downtown Feeniks; so I'm betting no. Sorry again!

I have walked MANY miles in the land of the Chiricahua. I have walked among the boulders inside the base of the mountain at Cochise Stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains. I have walked among the boulders inside the base of the mountain in the Little Dragoon Mountains. Texas Canyon is between the two mountain ranges.
Unfortunately, if I ever looked at a Huachuca Mountain Morningglory it was probably in the dormant stage. I would not have known what I was seeing.
Pagancat
I have not spent all of my life in the center of Phoenix. :=)

dirt dew, do you by any chance, use the nick Desert Dew on another forum?

LOL, Dirt Dew - of course not. Sorry!

Willie- I was tramping about the Huachuca Mtns just last weekend (8-10-14). Up behind the base, heading toward Garden Canyon, there were MG plants coming up all over in the desert. The naturalist I was with told me that they were MG, but didn't specify what type. They were fairly young, coming up with the monsoon rains, and had lovely leaves. So, if someone on this forum happens to go on base in about, say, a month to 6 weeks, I'll bet that they will have bloomed and be setting seeds..... If I can get away, I'll be birding down there, if I see any, I'll snag them myself. (Some for you, some for me... LOL)

Susie

Lots of information to my question and I appreciate all comments. Pagancat, you talkin' about me fittin' right in out Arizona way------it's a long story, but if the train would have run about 45 minutes slower,I would be a native Arizonian, born somewhere in Cohise County!

DD your experience with walking many miles in the land of the Chiricahua and never seeing the CMMG is probably typical of most people's experience. Another thought is that during the bloom time for this morning glory it is probably the hottest time of the year and not conducive to a pleasant stroll in the hills.

Guess I'd better quite thinking about seed and just see if anyone can even come up with a picture of the CMMG.

Sorry CMMG should be HMMG. Heck, I even misspelled the abbreviation!

Birdlady, that sounds very interesting. Hope it does turn out to be the HMMG and you get to harvest some seeds. I will sure trade you out of some if you get them!

Hope you had a good trip and spotted some rare birds. I had the occasion to walk some along the San Pedro River, east of Sierra Vista, one time but didn't spot birds or flowers.

Judy_B
Desert Dew is not me. I have not come across this name.