General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Vine
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 11 +4.4 °C (40 °F) to +7.2 °C (50 °F)
Plant Height: 6-12 inches
Plant Spread: 3-6 feet
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Fruit: Dehiscent
Other: Fruit is rare and only occurs with cross-pollinated flowers. The fruit is a capsule that splits open at maturity. The seeds inside are toxic and contain LSA.
Flowers: Showy
Other
Flower Color: Bi-Color: Variable; white or lavender with a purple center.
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Summer
Late summer or early fall
Other: Blooms only occasionally. Usually from spring to fall.
Underground structures: Tuber
Uses: Groundcover
Vegetable
Suitable as Annual
Edible Parts: Leaves
Roots
Eating Methods: Raw
Cooked
Toxicity: Other: The sap of this plant contains latex and can cause dermatitis in some sensitive individuals; however, those who are not allergic can eat the leaves safely. The seeds, however, have LSA and should be avoided at all costs.
Propagation: Seeds: Scarify seeds: Scarify gently and plant. Soaking in water also helps.
Will not come true from seed
Other info: Seeds are rare and are mostly only used in breeding programs.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Cuttings: Tip
Other: tuber (fat root)
Pollinators: Moths and Butterflies
Various insects
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Suitable for hanging baskets
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Awards and Recognitions: Other: 2001 Georgia Gold Medal Winner

Image
Common names
  • Ornamental Sweet Potato
  • Sweet Potato Vine
  • Sweet Potato

Photo Gallery
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Date: October 6, 2011
Sweet potato vine

Date: 2011-10-06
Location: Outside corner of dog's pen. Full sun all day.
Date: 2012-0903

Date: 2011-10-06
Location: Gardenfish garden
Date: 2020-07-28
Loves hot weather
Location: Zone 9 my patio
Date: 2020-05-16
May 16, 2020
Location: Gardenfish garden 
Date: August 5 2021
Skipper nearly buried in the bloom!
Location: Hanging basket on my zone 9 patio
Date: 2019-08-14
Seeds from amybabyboy3 Dec. 2018 DND swap
Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2017-06-24
Photo by sedumzz
Location: Outside corner of dog's pen. Full sun all day.
Date: 2012-0817
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2015-05-08
Location: IL
Date: 2005-08-14
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2019-07-14

Date: 2021-09-19
Location: Indiana  Zone 5
Date: 2010-07-09
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2/28/2021
4 year old tuber - I found it coiled this way at the bottom of th
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2/28/2021
4 year old tuber - I found it coiled this way at the bottom of th
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-05-14
Over wintered in a pot of Gloriosa stored in basement.
Location: Outside corner of dog's pen. Full sun all day.
Date: 2012-0817 at 11:00 AM
Location: Riverside, CA
Date: 2015-12-12
Location: Fairfax, VA | June, 2022
Date: 2022-06-03
Location: central Illinois
Date: 8-25-19
Location: central Illinois
Date: 8-16-19
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Photo by Hamwild
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-10-16
Location: My house
Date: October 2021
Cutting flowering in water.
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-05-03
Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2017-03-13
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2018-01-01
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2018-05-02
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2019-07-16

Date: 2014-03-17
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-08-19
Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-06-17
The blooms are mostly hidden under the leaves
Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada
Date: 2013-08-07
2013 only year to have bloomed so far - ANNUAL in northern garden
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-07-29
  • Uploaded by Joy

Date: 2015-08-07
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-10-03
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2015-09-04
Location: Cooks Nursery, Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-03-26
Location: New York City Area
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Location: Riverside, CA
Date: 2015-04-20
Location: Nita's garden 
Date: 2015-11-13
Location: Winter Springs, FL zone 9b
Date: 2017-12-05
Location: Winter Springs, FL zone 9b
Date: 2017-12-05
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-09-20

Date: 2014-03-17
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-07-01
note the nest
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2/28/2021
4 year old tuber - I found it coiled this way at the bottom of th
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2018-03-24
Location: Orangeburg, SC
Date: 2015-11-22
Sweet Potato Vine, Blackie in combo pot
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Hypocotyl view
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Young leaf before color change to darkness
Location: Southwest Florida
Date: December 2015
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-08-01
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 2011-11-18
after frost kills the vines, the tubers can be dug and carried ov
Location: Outside corner of dog's pen. Full sun all day.
Date: 2014-09-17
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2016-10-18
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-07-23
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-07-23
Location: Cooks Nursery, Orem, Utah
Date: 2012-03-26
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Seed grown plant
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-05-03
immature leaf
Location:  Jasper, Canada | August, 2022
Date: 2022-08-04
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2018-01-01
Unusual cotyledons - looks like 3 pairs of lobes
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA

Date: 2014-03-17
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2017-10-20
Seed quite similar to it's relative, the morning glory,
Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: Sep 28, 2011 10:18 AM
Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: Sep 28, 2011 10:39 AM
Difficult to photograph the entire plant - it goes down and aroun
Location: Wilmington, Delaware USA
Date: 2018-01-27
New growth is light green, changing to darker hue with age.
Location: home
Date: 2012-02-04
tubers can be dug and rooted over winter for spring planting
Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: Sep 28, 2011 10:19 AM
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on May 26, 2013 8:18 PM concerning plant:
    While this is not hardy in my zone 5, I have successfully overwintered cuttings (in water) in the window until spring and then potted them up for another year. This plant has even flowered inside in February while growing in water.

    Easy to root cuttings in water.
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Sep 29, 2011 7:45 AM concerning plant:
    Thrives in sunny, dry spots. Water as needed. A fast grower with an interesting dark color and leaf shape. Also good in pots.
  • Posted by MikeD (Liberal, Oregon - Zone 8b) on Jul 7, 2015 1:52 PM concerning plant:
    Source for "Georgia Gold Medal" win - http://botgarden.uga.edu/explo...
  • Posted by pirl (Southold, Long Island, NY - Zone 7a) on May 16, 2014 6:25 PM concerning plant:
    Last fall I dug it up and potted it but never inserted a label. Over winter it just sat and did nothing and appeared to be a nameless plant without any growth or sign that it was alive. It got water only now and then. Two weeks ago it woke up for spring! I'll bring it outside next week (mid May).
  • Posted by pirl (Southold, Long Island, NY - Zone 7a) on Jul 23, 2016 12:41 PM concerning plant:
    Very attractive to deer!
Plant Events from our members
dragonfetti On April 11, 2015 Obtained plant
From HD; Vigoro grower; no cultivar name. Looks similar to this one.
tabbycat On April 15, 2022 Miscellaneous Event
Brought in garage so never died & is a hanging pot full again. Likes part sun & daily watering near patio
tabbycat On March 5, 2021 Cuttings took
Planted 3 pots with 2 rooted cuttings each
tabbycat On February 15, 2021 Winterized
Brought hanging basket in garage in 20s freeze 2-15-21 Put about 7 cuttings in water to root.
tabbycat On May 31, 2019 Transplanted
2 small plants moved into a hanging basket. July 1st they are trailing 6' over pot sides. Leaves start green & change darker over a couple of weeks.
tabbycat On April 1, 2019 Seeds germinated
I have 2 sprouts.
tabbycat On March 17, 2019 Seeds sown
Gardener2493 On October 12, 2021 Bloomed
Flowered and manually pollinated with a different cultivar of Ipomoea batatas. I'm excited to see what will come forth from this!
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Bloom Surprises for me by Boopaints Dec 17, 2011 7:30 AM 6
Gorgeous! by Boopaints Oct 9, 2011 7:12 PM 1

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