Ipomoea alba

Belle de Nuit, Moonflower, Moon Vine, Tropical White Morning-Glory

Message of the Flower

Entire Self-giving

The Mother’s Comment

Completely open, clear and pure.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

The Divine gives itself to those who give themselves without reserve and in all their parts to the Divine. For them the calm, the light, the power, the bliss, the freedom, the wideness, the heights of knowledge, the seas of Ananda.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Himself and the Ashram: Darshan Messages

The soul's inherent aspiration is what comes up when there is the sheer self-giving, when "I seek you for this, I seek you for that" changes to a sheer "I seek you for you." It is that marvellous and ineffable absolute in the Divine that Krishnaprem means when he says, "Not knowledge nor this nor that, but Krishna." The pull of that is indeed a categorical imperative, the self in us drawn to the Divine because of the imperative call of its greater Self, the soul ineffably drawn towards the object of its adoration, because it cannot be otherwise, because it is it and He is He. That is all about it.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Yoga - II: Seeking the Divine

Yoga means union with the Divine, and the union is effected through offering—it is founded on the offering of yourself to the Divine. In the beginning you start by making this offering in a general way, as though once for all; you say, "I am the servant of the Divine; my life is given absolutely to the Divine; all my efforts are for the realisation of the Divine Life." But that is only the first step; for this is not sufficient. When the resolution has been taken, when you have decided that the whole of your life shall be given to the Divine, you have still at every moment to remember it and carry it out in all the details of your existence. You must feel at every step that you belong to the Divine; you must have the constant experience that, in whatever you think or do, it is always the Divine Consciousness that is acting through you. You have no longer anything that you can call your own; you feel everything as coming from the Divine, and you have to offer it back to its source. When you can realise that, then even the smallest thing to which you do not usually pay much attention or care, ceases to be trivial and insignificant; it becomes full of meaning and it opens up a vast horizon beyond.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1929 - 1931: 28 April 1929

Colour

White

Family

Convolvulaceae

Cultivars

Moonflower, Moon Vine, Tropical White Morning-Glory

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

Flowers can be up to 6 inches in diameter.

Flower Texture

Smooth and slightly silky

Number of Petals

Five

Floral Symmetry

Radially symmetrical

Fragrance of Flower

Fragrant, especially in the evening.

Leaf Texture

Smooth

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

Leaf Color

Green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Vine

Life Cycle

Perennial in tropical climates; often grown as an annual in temperate zones.

Blooming Period

Summer to fall

Climate

Prefers warm climates.

Water Requirements

Moderate; prefers well-drained soil but can tolerate some drought.

Soil Type

Loamy, well-drained

Temperature Ranges

Thrives in temperatures above 60F (15C).

Sun or Shade

Full sun to part shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to spider mites and whiteflies; can suffer from root rot in overly wet conditions.

Pollinators

Moths, especially those active at night.

Habitat

Native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.

Role in the Ecosystem

Attracts nocturnal pollinators; provides habitat and food for various insects.

Ornamental

Widely used as an ornamental plant for its large, fragrant flowers.

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Mainly ornamental.

Endangered Status

Not endangered; widely cultivated.