This species is capable of very rapid growth and can completely smother trees and understorey plants, but it will creep along the ground in the absence of supporting vegetation. Significant infestations may lead to a reduction in biodiversity through the replacement of native vegetation and the displacement of certain native animals. It is particularly common in the coastal districts of eastern Australia, where it often invades river banks and riparian vegetation. It also commonly invades rainforest margins, where it grows over larger trees and smothers tree saplings and understorey shrubs, and is a major problem in littoral rainforest remnants. However, it is also a weed of sandy beachfronts and other coastal environments, drier forests, wetlands, and limestone cliffs.

Coastal morning glory (Ipomoea cairica) is ranked among the top 30 environmental weeds in south-eastern Queensland, and among the 10 worst weeds in Gold Coast City. This species is actively managed by community groups in Queensland and appears on numerous local environmental weed lists in south-eastern Queensland (e.g. in Redland, Noosa and Maroochy Shires). It is also of significant concern in the coastal districts of northern and central New South Wales, where it also appears on several local and regional environmental weed lists (e.g. in Randwick Shire, Strathfield Shire, Lismore City and Sutherland Shire, on the NSW North Coast environmental weed list, and on the Australian Association of Bush Regenerators environmental weed list for the the wider Sydney and Blue Mountains region.