Morning glory (also written as morning-glory[1]) is the common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics are in flux.

Ipomoea nil, a species of morning glory, was first known in China for its medicinal uses, due to the laxative properties of its seeds.

Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations used the morning glory species Ipomoea alba to convert the latex from the Castilla elastica tree and also the guayule plant to produce bouncing rubber balls.

[2] The sulfur in the morning glory's juice served to vulcanize the rubber, a process antedating Charles Goodyear's discovery by at least 3,000 years.

In some places, such as Australian bushland, some species of morning glories develop thick roots and tend to grow in dense thickets.

[5][6] Ipomoea aquatica is a federal noxious weed, though some states, like Texas, have acknowledged its status as a vegetable and allow it to be grown.

Popular varieties in contemporary western cultivation include 'Sunspots', 'Heavenly Blue', moonflower, cypress vine, and cardinal climber.

[12] The seeds of morning glory can produce a similar effect to LSD when taken in large doses, often numbering into the hundreds.