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Ipomoea batatas
Sweet Potato
| Often mistaken for Yams, another tasty tropical root, Ipomoea are related to Morning Glories, not potatoes. A staple in the American South, they need long, hot summers to produce thick, large, sweetly flavored, orange, yellow or white roots. Use baked, fried in tempura or in pie. While they can be started by rooting one in a glass of water, it is easier to get plants from growers. Plant in late spring on top of ridged beds where there is lots of space. Plant slips with 3 to 4 inches in the soil, and keep moist. In cool summer areas, mulch with black plastic to raise soil temperatures. Harvest before first frost by digging roots carefully as they damage easily and can rot. Store in a warm, dry place. |
Sweet Potatoes with soft, very sweet orange-red flesh are the most popular and grow particularly well in the South. Most varieties with white and yellow flesh are generally starchier and not quite as sweet but many grow especially well in more northern areas. When growing Sweet Potatoes, determine which varieties do best in your area.
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Attributes - Ipomoea batatas
Plant Type: Vegetable
Height: 1 ft. to 1 ft. 6 in.
Width: 8 ft.
Sunlight: Full Sun
Notes: Thrives in Hot Climates. Edible. Susceptible to Aphids, Beetles.
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