Diez en la Mañana
Ipomoea carnea
Family: Convolvulaceae
Evergreen shrub usually growing about 6x6’. Large lavender (rarely purple or white) flowers occur in warm weather followed by woody capsules with large fuzzy seeds.
Grow in full to part sun, with moderate water, may suffer damage in mid 20s °F, but root hardy to about 20° F.
Hummingbirds and other nectar-seeking insects use flowers.
The stem of this species can be used for making paper. The plant is also of medicinal value. It contains a component identical to marsilin, a sedative and anticonvulsant. A glycosidic saponin has also been purified from this species with anticarcinogenic and oxytocic properties.
In Brazil, I. carnea (in addition to other common names) is known as canudo-de-pito, literally "pipe-cane", as its hollow stems were used to make tubes for tobacco pipes. It thus became the namesake of Canudos, a religious community in the sertão of Bahia, over which the War of Canudos was fought 1893–1897.
There are 621 species of Ipomoea native throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The name Ipomoea is derived from the Ancient Greek meaning 'woodworm', and hómoios, meaning "resembling" referring to the twining nature of most species of the genus. The species epithet 'carnea' means 'flesh-coloured' in Latin, which refers to the pale, flesh pink flowers of the plant.
Native to the American tropics.