Flowers That Bloom in the Morning
Morning sun brings a fresh new day, and imagine being greeted by the sight of flowers at the start of your day. There are some flowers that do exactly that: Greet each new day with blooms and beauty. Such plants will offer up fresh blooms each morning with the breaking of the dawn sunlight. While most flowers will bloom at various times, these particular flowers bloom with the morning sun and are often short-lived, to be replaced by new blooms the following morning.
These are three flowers that bloom in the morning:
- Morning glory (Ipomoea spp.)
- Blue chicory (Cichorium intybus)
- Moss rose (Portulaca spp.)
Morning Glory Flowers
Morning glory (Ipomoea spp.) is at the top of the list of flowers that bloom in the morning. This climbing annual will reseed and can be invasive. The morning glory blooms will open when the morning sun begins to rise and will wilt and die off when heat from the afternoon sun becomes strong. Morning glory blooms may last all day if the temperature is moderate. Morning glories are not good for cut flower bouquets and are best admired on the vine.
Providing a fence or a large trellis for morning glories to climb on will create a beautiful display of these delicate flowers. Each day will bring new blooms to enjoy. Morning glories are available in a variety of colors, including purple, blue, red, mauve, chocolate, pink, white and striped. The bloom colors are vibrant and eye catching.
The average height for morning glory plants is 10 to 12 feet. This plant needs full sun all day for best growth and flowering potential, and it needs support for its twining growth; otherwise, it will scramble along the ground where its blooms may go unnoticed in thick grass. The leaves of morning glory vines are heart-shaped.
Blue Chicory Blooms
Chicory (Cichorium intybus, USDA zones 3-8) is an herb that is often seen growing along roadsides. Chicory blooms are short-lived, blooming with the rising sun and closing up by the time the hot afternoon sun sets in. Chicory flowers are a vibrant periwinkle blue color. The plant features tall spikes that can reach 3 to 5 feet or more in height.
The leaves of young chicory plants resemble dandelion leaves, according to Penn State Extension, which is not surprising since these two plants are closely related to each other. Young leaves are often used in salads or in cooking. Flowers can be sugared and used for edible cake decorations. Chicory roots have been used as a coffee substitute.
Moss Rose Blossoms
Moss rose (Portulaca spp.) is a low-growing flowering gem that loves the sun. Although most species of this plant are annuals, some are perennials in USDA zones 8 through 11. The colorful, 2-inch flowers will open up in the sun and close on cloudy days and in late afternoon. Some newer cultivars of this plant will open on overcast days, but the plant loves and prefers hot, blazing sunshine. The North Carolina State Extension notes that each flower petal is heart-shaped.
Moss rose is available in a variety of colors that are brilliant in hue. The flowers will continue to bloom in the sunshine throughout the summer and into early fall. Plants grow quite well on poor soil, and they are prone to rot on wet soil. Moss rose is also drought-tolerant and make excellent choices for rocky soil. Watering is necessary only when the plants begin to appear wilted. This plant is a good choice for containers.
