Bloomipedia
Beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae)
Photo: Scott Allen Davis via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Beach morning glory

Ipomoea pes-caprae

Native in the lower 48

Beach morning glory is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in May–October.

9states
2of our state lists
8,274U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Florida, Hawaii

Quick look

Ipomoea pes-caprae, also known as bayhops, bay-hops, beach morning glory, railroad vine, or goat's foot, is a common pantropical creeping vine belonging to the family Convolvulaceae. It grows on the upper parts of beaches and endures salted air. It is one of the most common and most widely distributed salt tolerant plants and provides one of the best known examples of oceanic dispersal.

  • It belongs to the Convolvulaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a vine with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 9 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Florida and Hawaii. NatureServe
  • In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–October. iNaturalist
  • In Hawaii, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in January–December. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as red. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as indeterminate. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 1 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 4,843 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #38 among the 110 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,584 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #23 among the 105 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist

Beach morning glory gift ideas

Handmade beach morning glory gifts from independent makers.

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (515 records)
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
FloridaNativeMay–October4,843
HawaiiNativeJanuary–December1,584

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: S5, secure in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
Hawaii
Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MS (S1), NC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Morning Glory” (Ipomoea spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Vomiting, large amounts of seeds may cause… ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records beach morning glory in 9 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas.

Florida counties with USDA records: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Duval, Flagler, Franklin, Gulf, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Sarasota, St. Lucie, Volusia.

Hawaii counties with USDA records: Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui.

More Florida flowers

Sources