Morning Glory Meaning
by Kathleen Karlsen, Author of Flower Symbols
Morning glory flower meaning includes eternal love, rebirth, resilience, life, and love in vain. While their beauty is universal, morning glory meaning varies significantly across cultures, historical eras, and spiritual traditions. From ancient civilizations to contemporary literature and art, morning glories offer a rich tapestry of symbolism.
Significance of Flowers
Understanding the symbolism of flowers is an added enhancement to their inherent beauty and variety. It’s no wonder that so many cultures have created stories about flowers and used them as a central part of ceremonies to mark important rites of passage throughout life.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Discover the Chinese legend of the morning glory
- Find out about the medical properties of morning glories
- Learn which parts of the morning glory are edible
- Consider gifting Flower Symbols to your favorite flower lover
Roots of Morning Glory Symbolism
Some aspects of morning glory meaning derive from Chinese mythology. In other contexts, the symbolic meaning is due to the psychedelic nature of morning glory seeds. Additional meanings stem from the botany of the flower itself. Modern morning glory meaning connects closely to the Victorian language of flowers, where morning glories are a symbol of undying love.
Morning Glory Flower Name
The name of the morning glory is apt, as it blooms in the morning and dies by the afternoon. This symbolizes the cycle of life and rebirth. Likewise, the morning glory flower is resilient, rising each morning to face the challenges of a new day. Read on to discover more about the fascinating origins of morning glory meaning!
Legend of the Morning Glory
According to Chinese lore, Chien Niu is a boy star taking care of water buffalo in the heavenly kingdom. A girl star named Chih Neu is in charge of seamstress duties. The two stars fall in love. The romance between the two stars causes them to neglect their duties.
Star-Crossed Lovers
In anger, God forces the young lovers to separate. They are now on opposite sides of the Silver River and can only meet only once a year. In this sense, morning glories are emblems of bittersweet love—a passion that must endure distance and hardship. Thus, morning glory meaning in this tradition centers on ongoing love and devotion in spite of trials.
A Single Day When Lovers Meet
The star-shaped morning glory symbolizes the single day each year in which the Chinese lovers, Chien Niu and Chih Neu, meet each year. This lore connects to the fact that morning glory flowers last for only one day. As noted above, morning glories bloom in the morning and die by evening.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Explore the history of Symbolic Flowers.
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Morning Glories in Other Cultures
The seeds of the morning glory (particularly from the species Ipomoea tricolor and Ipomoea violacea) contain alkaloids similar to LSD. Aztec priests in Ancient Mesoamerica utilized these seeds in religious rituals to commune with gods and predict the future. The Aztecs called the morning glory by the name tlitliltzin, and they saw it as a sacred conduit between human consciousness and the divine world.
Morning Glory Meaning in Japan
In Japan, morning glories (asagao, literally “morning face”) became popular during the Edo period (1603–1868). The Japanese cultivated numerous varieties, and the flowers often appeared in poetry, paintings, and kimonos as a symbol of summer’s ephemeral beauty and the fleeting nature of life.
Morning Glories in Victorian England
The Victorians had a highly codified “language of flowers.” In this system, morning glories conveyed a nuanced message depending on the social context. Accordingly, gifting morning glories could represent a love that, while sincere, may be doomed or destined to fade. Thus, the flowers thus carried a sense of poignancy and romantic melancholy.
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Morning Glory Spiritual Meaning
Morning glory seeds were used in Mexico in religious ceremonies to induce a dreamlike state. This was purported to allow one to better commune with the gods. The Mayans used the seeds in a beverage to bring about a state in which prophecy was possible.
Psychedelic Seeds of Morning Glory Flowers
As noted above, the seeds of morning glories contain lysergic acid amide (LSA). This is chemically similar to LSD. For this reason, the seeds are associated with hallucinations and strong psychedelic experiences. Although LSA is not a controlled substance, but there are potential side effects.
Danger of Morning Glories
Morning glories can be toxic and will cause nerve damage in large doses. Subsequently, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, increased blood pressure and other impacts may occur when consumed in large quantities. Therefore, morning glory flower seeds are viewed as poisonous.
Morning Glory Meaning in Buddhism
The morning glory represents the path to enlightenment in the Buddhist tradition. The short lifespan of this colorful flower highlights the concept of “annata” or non-self. This is the idea that nothing is fixed or permanent. The fading morning glory emphasizes our own mortality, encouraging us to live in the moment with purpose and intention. In these ways, the morning glory is akin to the lotus flower.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Explore 75 of the world’s most beloved Sacred Flowers.
Symbolism of Flower Colors
The color of morning glory flowers affects their meaning. Morning glories come in blue, purple, red, pink, white, and yellow. Morning glories are a hardy vine indigenous to South America. However, they also grow well in England’s cool climate. This led to their popularity during the Victorian era. The flower now grows all over the world. In some places morning glory flowers can even be invasive.
BLUE Morning Glory Flowers
Blue morning glories mean trust and respect. In the five elements of feng shui and other Eastern systems, blue connects to the water element. The color meanings of blue are related to freedom, strength and new beginnings. Additionally, blue skies mean optimism and better opportunities. Blue is the top favorite color in the world!
WHITE Morning Glory Flowers
White morning glories symbolize purity and innocence. The color white awakens creativity and stabilizes energy, giving a general boost that amplifies all other colors. Use white to give breathing space in your garden from the intensity of bright colors demanding attention.
RED Morning Glory Flowers
Red morning glories represent passion and romance. Furthermore, the color red represents the will to win, love of sports, and the survival instinct. Red flowers are stimulating and eye-catching. The intensity of red flowers creates movement and drama. As a general principle, red flowers are warming, activating and energizing.
PINK Morning Glory Flowers
Pink morning glories mean affection and thoughtfulness. As a general thing, pink flowers symbolize love and healing from grief, anxiety, or emotional trauma. On the psychological level, pink eases anger and feelings of neglect. Pink can assist in alleviating emotional scars from past experiences. However, too much pink may result is hypersensitivity and emotionalism.
PURPLE Morning Glory Flowers
Purple morning glories symbolize royalty and beauty. Both purple and violet colors soothe the mind and nerves. Some color psychologists say purple helps to relieve tension and dissipate anger and violence. Violet is related to the psychological quality of transformation, transmutation, and the balance of power and love. Additional meanings include charisma, charm, magical abilities and tolerance.
YELLOW Morning Glory Flowers
Yellow flowers are the heralds of spring. Sunshine yellow flower morning glory flowers symbolize the clearing away of the winter and stimulate clear thinking. The color meanings of yellow are enthusiasm, confidence, cheerfulness, sense of humor, fun, optimism and intellectuality. Yellow stimulates mental faculties as well as supporting the elimination system in the body. However, too much yellow may result in nervousness and a racing mind.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE: Read more about all flower color meanings in Flower Color Meanings.
Medicinal Uses
In China, the medicinal properties of morning glory flowers are utilized. The seeds have a laxative effect. In Chinese traditional medicine, morning glories support the health of the lungs, kidneys, and large intestines. Morning glory seeds are a diuretic to reduce swelling and water retention. Morning glories may also induce labor.
More Uses of Morning Glory Flowers
Native Americans traditionally use morning glories to make a tea to alleviate coughs and lung congestion. The leaves are used in powder form for stomach discomfort and headaches. Morning glory flowers can also make wine. The flowers soak for about two weeks in cold water before the fermentation process begins.
Culinary Uses
Certain types of morning glory flowers are edible. One species of morning glory known as water spinach or swamp cabbage, can be eaten raw like lettuce. Although categorized as a noxious weed, the state of Texas allows water spinach to be grown for personal consumption.
Cooking with Morning Glory Flowers
The roots and stems are edible though not considered a delicacy. However, they can be eaten in small amounts if cooked. These are “famine foods.” The leaves can be used in stir-fry dishes to add variety and interest. Morning glories are part of the nightshade family along with potatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, and tobacco.
Morning Glories in Art and Literature
The morning glory has been a favorite subject in art due to its vibrant colors and elegant form. Accordingly, Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, famous for “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” also depicted morning glories in detailed woodblock prints, highlighting their association with the fleeting beauty of nature.
Morning Glories in Poetry and Prose
In literature, Emily Dickinson referenced morning glories in her poetry, using them as metaphors for ephemeral experiences and emotional intensity. In modern times, morning glories have appeared in contemporary novels and children’s stories, often symbolizing hope, new beginnings, or the resilience of nature.
Morning Glory Meaning in Music
Additionally, morning glories have a place in music. In 1995, the British band Oasis released an album titled (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, using the flower as a metaphor for the fleeting highs and melancholies of youth and fame.
More About Morning Glory Flowers
In ancient Mesopotamia over three thousand years ago, morning glory juice was used in combination with substance from the Castilla elastica tree to make a bouncing rubber ball.
Growing Morning Glory Flowers
Morning glory flowers are funnel-shaped and prefer full sun. Morning glories will grow in poor, dry soil. They are a vine flower and are highly useful for trellises where they reduce the heating and cooling costs of buildings.
Varieties of Morning Glories
There are thousands of morning glory varieties. Sweet potatoes are part of the same family. A few of the well-know morning glory flower varieties are Blue Morning Glory (Ipomoea Indica), Moonflowers (Ipomoea alba), and Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas).
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Kathleen Karlsen is an author, musician, artist, and composer. She has written three books (The Color-Music Connection, Flower Symbols, and Vocal Medicine) and over 200 articles. Her YouTube channel features over 600 videos. Kathleen and her family live in Bozeman, Montana, USA.
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