How to Grow a Moonflower Vine

The moonflower vine (Calonyction aculeatum) is one of the wonders of the evening garden. Giant 5 to 6 inch white blooms that resemble morning glories are nestled against large heart shaped deep green leaves. As the sun begins to set in late afternoon the flowers begin to unfurl and release a lovely fragrance. When the sun rises, the blooms gently spiral closed. Here's how to add this moonlight marvel to your garden.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Moonflower vine seeds
• Peat pots
• Soilless potting mix
• Scissors
• Garden trowel
• Knife
• Custard cup or other small glass container
• Water

1. Prepare the seeds. Use a knife to make a small nick in the moonflower vine seeds. Place seeds in a custard cup or other small glass container and cover with water. Allow to soak overnight.

2. Plant seeds in peat pots. Fill peat pots with soil-less planting medium 3/4 inch from the pot's rim. Moisten with water. Place 2 or 3 vine seeds on the soil and cover with 1/2 inch of soil-less mix. Water again gently. Planted peat pots should be kept moist and in a warm location until the seedlings are large enough to transplant. Start vines indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last anticipated frost.

3. Prepare seedlings for transplant. Moonflower vine seeds germinate in around 3 weeks. Before planting, thin seedlings to one vine per pot. Remove weak or extra seedlings by cutting them with scissors. Do not pull seedlings from the soil. Pulling may damage the tender roots of the remaining seedling. Seedlings that are ready for planting should have formed 2 or 3 leaves.

4. Choose outdoor planting location. It prefers a location that receives full sun and the soil should be moist and well-drained. Choose a location that provides the vine ample support, such as a trellis, arbor or fence, and away from other plants. The Moonflower vine can grow up to 40 feet in height with tendrils that can, if left unchecked, engulf nearby plants or trees.

5. Transplant the seedling. Loosen the soil in the desired planting area. Dig a hole slightly larger than the peat pot and the same depth. Place the peat pot and seedling in the planting hole and lightly cover with the original soil. The peat pot will disintegrate in the soil and will provide added nutrients. Gently water the transplanted seedling.

6. Collect seeds. Moonflower vine seeds are easy to gather for next year's garden or to share with friends. When the husks that follow the white blooms become black and dry, they can be gathered and stored in a dry place. The seeds are the size of a garbanzo bean and white in color.

Tips & Warnings

• The moonflower vine is rarely found containerized for planting because they do not transplant well. An alternative to starting seeds indoors in peat pots is to sow the seeds directly in the ground when there is no longer any danger of frost.
• Moonflower vines open their blooms and emit their fragrance at night. Try growing the vine in a hanging basket near a bedroom window or on a deck to enjoy them in the evening.
• The moonflower is an annual tropical vine in most hardiness zones. It is considered a perennial in zones 10 through 12.
• Newly transplanted moonflower seedlings are slow growers. As the ground gets warmer, their growth rate increases. The first blooms usually appear around the 4th of July and last until the first frost.
• The moonflower vine requires little maintenance once established. Water transplants regularly. During drought, water the vine well. Moonflower vines, however, thrive in the heat.