Ipomoea pandurata (Wild Potato Vine)

Native to eastern and central North America, this perennial vine has a large underground storage root. Its twining stems bear heart-shaped leaves, sometimes with a fiddle-shaped outline. White funnel-shaped flowers have a reddish purple throat and appear over a long warm-season flowering period. Seed capsules split when mature, releasing hairy seeds. The plant grows in sunny or partly shaded open ground and woodland margins. Its extensive root system supports vigorous seasonal growth, while the flowers attract hummingbirds. The seeds are poisonous if eaten. Photographed in Colombia.