Moonflower in Zone 2a & 2b

Ipomoea alba

When to plant moonflower in zone 2b

Zones 2a and 2b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Moonflower tolerates either.

Start indoorsApr 15–Apr 22
Direct sow / transplant outsideMay 20–May 27
Estimated bloomAug 18–Aug 25 (~90 days after planting)

Spacing: 2 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 10-20 ft.

Moonflower
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped.

Moonflower is a morning glory that runs on the opposite schedule. The flowers, white trumpets six inches across, open in the late afternoon and close at dawn, and they're scented for a pollinator most gardeners never see: hawkmoths and sphinx moths, working the plant after dark. If you sit outside on a summer evening you can sometimes watch a bud unwind in a couple of minutes.

How moonflower fits zone 2's season

Zone 2b's frost-free window runs about 104 days, from May 20 to September 1. Moonflower needs about 90 days from sowing to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Moonflower.

Where to buy moonflower seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing moonflower" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 2b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

Growing Moonflower in USDA zone 2b

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Growing Moonflower in USDA zone 2b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.

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