Morning glories, a common vine known for their vibrant blue or purple flowers, have seen a dramatic slowdown in their ability to adapt to environmental changes, according to a new study from the University of Michigan. Researchers found that despite these plants having a wide range of genetic diversity, their rate of adaptation has dropped by 96% over just nine years. This decline may be due to a conflict between traits that help them attract pollinators and those that would help them adapt to shifting climate conditions. The study, led by researchers Sasha Bishop and Regina Baucom, suggests that morning glories might be evolving in a way that prioritizes traits that attract bees and other pollinators, which could limit their ability to adapt to environmental pressures like rising temperatures or changing rainfall patterns. For example, larger flowers, which are more attractive to pollinators, may be taking precedence over traits such as earlier flowering, which could help the plants better cope with climate change. To test this idea, the researchers grew morning glories from seeds collected from wild populations at two different times—nine years apart. They measured various traits, including when the plants first flowered, the size of the flowers, and how long they remained in bloom. Using a statistical measure called R, they calculated the plants’ adaptation rate, taking into account how different traits are related to one another. In the original wild populations, the morning glories had an adaptation rate of about 76% of what would be expected if traits didn’t influence each other. However, nine years later, that rate had dropped to just 9% of the expected rate, showing a significant increase in the constraints that are limiting their ability to evolve. This finding highlights a growing gap between what evolutionary theory predicts and what is actually happening in nature. The study underscores a challenge for many wild plant species, which are struggling to keep up with the pace of environmental change. While evolutionary theory suggests that organisms can adapt quickly to new conditions, many plant populations are either adapting too slowly or facing genetic challenges that reduce their ability to change. The findings also have implications for agriculture, as morning glories are often considered a weed. The balance between traits that attract pollinators and those that help the plants adapt to climate change could affect how much of a problem these plants are for farmers, though the outcome remains uncertain.