Ipomoea pes-caprae
Pant tropical creeping coastal vine that tolerates salt spray, stabilizes dunes with dense ground cover formed by long stolons, bears year-round purple flowers, and disperses buoyant seeds via ocean currents.
Common Names
Beach Morning Glory, Railroad Vine, Goat's Foot, Bayhops, Morning Glory
Summary
Railroad vine is a pant tropical creeping coastal vine native to beaches and dunes, forming dense ground cover with long trailing stems that root at nodes. Leaves are two-lobed, goat’s-foot shaped; funnel-shaped flowers are pink to lavender with a darker center, opening in the morning and lasting one day; the fruit is a capsule containing four seeds.
It thrives in full sun on dry, well-drained sandy or poor soils, and is highly salt- and drought-tolerant, with wind tolerance typical of coastal dune plants. Propagation is by seeds or cuttings, and rapid growth may require pruning or containment; uses include sand stabilization, dune restoration, and ground-cover landscaping in coastal areas. Hardiness zones 8–11.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
4-6 inches
Spread
4-20 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 10B-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun, partial shade also acceptable.
Soil Type
Well-drained sandy soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
No specific ideal soil pH; tolerates acidic to alkaline soils.
Bloom Color
Pink
Bloom Time
Year-round; peak in Summer.
Foliage Color
Dark green
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color change
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Bees: Yes, Butterflies: Yes, Other pollinators (moths, flies, beetles, wasps, ants): Yes
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) R.Br.
- Publication
- Narr. Exped. Zaire : 477 (1818)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Solanales
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
- Genus
- Ipomoea
Synonyms
Plesiagopus rotundifolia Convolvulus bauhiniifolius Convolvulus biglandulosus Convolvulus capripes Ipomoea aegopoda Plesiagopus brasiliensis Plesiagopus cuneifolia Plesiagopus maritima Plesiagopus sovana Convolvulus brasiliensis Convolvulus pes-caprae Ipomoea brasiliensis Ipomoea maritima Ipomoea rotundifolia Convolvulus rotundifolius Latrienda brasiliensis Ipomoea pes-caprae var. brasiliensis Ipomoea biloba Batatas maritima Ipomoea pes-caprae f. albiflora Ipomoea pes-caprae f. albiflora Convolvulus retusus Ipomoea brevipes Convolvulus bilobatus Ipomoea pes-caprae var. emarginata Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis Ipomoea orbicularis Ipomoea bilobata var. emarginata Ipomoea pes-caprae var. perunkulamensis