Kaladana / English Morning Glory
Ipomoea nil
Also known as American Plant, Morning Glory, Pharbitis Seeds
- Habit
- Climber
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu & more
- Flowering
- August-April
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Ipomoea nil
- Genus
- Ipomoea
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
- Habit
- Climber
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, also in the plains
- Habitat type
- Forest
- Native to
- North America
- Distribution
- Naturalized in tropics
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Uttarakhand
- Flowering & fruiting
- August-April
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Typical of the Convolvulaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
Typical of the Convolvulaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- Jharmaric, कालादाना Kaladana, नीलकलमी Neelkalmi
- Nepali
- सिउंरी Siyunri
- Bengali
- কালাদানা Kaladana
- Tamil
- Kakkattan, Kotikkakkattan, Sirikki
- Telugu
- Kollivittulu, Jiriki, kolli
- Kannada
- ಗೌರೀಬೀಜ Gowri beeja, ಕೊಳ್ಳಿಬೀಜ Kolli beeja
- Malayalam
- Taliyari, കൃഷ്ണബീജം
- Marathi
- कालादाना Kaladana, नीलपुष्पी Neelpushpi, निळी पुंगळी
Kaladana in India
This climbing annual, known as Jharmaric (Hindi), Kakkattan (Tamil), Kollivittulu (Telugu), ಗೌರೀಬೀಜ Gowri beeja (Kannada), Taliyari (Malayalam), कालादाना Kaladana (Marathi), is grown ornamentally and valued for its seeds in traditional use. Ipomoea nil is found across Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Uttarakhand, both cultivated and growing wild along fences and hedges.
Uses
It's grown as an ornamental climber for its abundant trumpet-shaped flowers, and its small black seeds (kaladana) have a long history of traditional use in some folk and Ayurvedic systems — an attributed traditional use, not a medical claim, and not for self-administration.
How to Identify Kaladana
A twining annual vine with heart-shaped, sometimes three-lobed leaves, covered in fine hairs. Funnel-shaped flowers open in shades of blue, purple or pink in the morning and close by afternoon, followed by a small capsule containing dark seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is English morning glory called in different Indian languages?
- Jharmaric (Hindi); Kakkattan (Tamil); Kollivittulu (Telugu); ಗೌರೀಬೀಜ Gowri beeja (Kannada); Taliyari (Malayalam); कालादाना Kaladana (Marathi); কালাদানা Kaladana (Bengali).
- Why is it called 'morning glory'?
- Its funnel-shaped flowers open freshly each morning and typically wilt or close by the afternoon heat, a pattern shared by many Ipomoea species.
- Are kaladana seeds safe to use?
- They should only ever be used under expert traditional guidance, never self-administered — some morning glory seeds carry compounds that can cause serious effects if misused.
Convolvulaceae
Morning glory family
Kaladana belongs to the Convolvulaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Convolvulaceae
View all Convolvulaceae →Sources: GBIF — Ipomoea nil (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Ipomoea nil (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)