Flowering railroad vine with delicate purple with magenta flowers.
Off to the beach we went yesterday and what a beautiful sight…….a profusion of purple flowers stretched out towards the sea. Ipomoea pes-caprae is the official name but it is more commonly known as the Railroad vine, goat’s-foot vine or beach morning glory. Seems to me that August is the best month and when you see a carpet of flowers spread out before you.
Raindrops from a passing shower on the flowers.
The flowers open late in the evening and look their best early in the morning. On this day, we had to wait in the car for the rain shower to stop and the flowers were a little flattened but still gorgeous. When
fully opened they expose a purple star pattern throughout the center. The flowers usually fold and fade by the afternoon.
A carpet of railroad vines cover the sand as far as the eye could see.
Vines creep along the sand with showy purple flowers
The main pollinators include bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles, wasps and ants and the sap from the leaves has been used as a first-aid treatment for jelly fish stings.
A dark pink star evect appears in the centre of this gorgeous flower.........and what a backdrop of turquoise water!
And so another spectacular beach day and always something special to photograph.
Marta
