Morning Glories : We have three species of morning glories on Kiawah . The common or tall morning glory with heart-shaped leaves has flowers that range in color from purple , blue , red , and white to variegated . The fiddle leaf ( or dune ) morning glory has primarily white flowers and is found prominently on dunes and beaches , and the saltmarsh or arrow-leaf morning glory exhibits deep pink flowers . These morning glories twist open , unraveling very early in the morning and begin fading or wilting by midday . Pollinators include bees , butterflies , moths , and even hummingbirds .
A few species of morning glories ( moonflowers ) bloom at night , but these are not found on our Island . You may have heard that some species of morning glories have medicinal properties and have been used historically as laxatives , diuretics , and as a treatment for parasites . Seeds of some species contain small amounts of a hallucinogenic compound similar to LSD — but not the species found on Kiawah .
Other examples of flowers that open in the morning , bloom for only one day , and close at night are the beautiful swamp or rose mallow and the seashore or saltmarsh mallow . Both look similar to their larger flowered cousin , the hibiscus , and also attract hummingbirds and butterflies . These wetland perennials emerge in spring along the edges of our marshes and ponds and bloom from late spring through fall . Another flower , often overlooked , is the small blue “ whitemouth dayflower ” ( above right ) found in the backdunes and beside bike paths . The common dandelion ( and we have some on Kiawah ) opens its flowers in the morning after the sun comes up and closes them in the evening .
Flowers of the Night Evening Primroses : The evening primroses
( left ) are common spreading dune plants having bright yellow flowers that are one to three inches wide . They bloom from April to October , and most have flowers opening around 5:00 p . m . to close by noon the next day . Evening primroses are pollinated by insects especially suited for nighttime foraging , such as moths and certain species of bees . A number of the evening primrose species have been used in the past to treat sore throats , skin conditions , and eye diseases . Yucca : Night blooming flowers are usually white or light colored , fragrant and pollinated by moths or bats . An example of this is a plant that frequents our dunes , the yucca or Spanish bayonet . One of the most studied and interesting characteristics of these plants is their relationship with a species of the small white moth commonly called the “ yucca moth ” ( genus Tegeticula yuccasella ). Yucca species solely depend on these moths for pollination , and the moth depends on the yucca . The flowers open at night and close during the day providing a protected location for the moths to mate .
When the flowers open again at night the female moth will fly to other flowers carrying pollen and depositing eggs in developing yucca fruits . She knows exactly how much pollen to carry and how many eggs to deposit on the flowers . She even senses if another female moth has deposited eggs on a flower and will look for another to place her own eggs .
When the eggs hatch , the larvae will feast on yucca seeds and fruit and then cocoon in the ground over winter . Adult yucca moths live only a few days and don ’ t eat . They are so specialized that the female has tentacles around her mouth to help carry pollen and does not have a long tongue characteristic of other pollinators such as butterflies and moths . NK
19