Sweet Potato Vine

Sweet Potato Vine Ipomoea Batatas

What is the plant

The sweet potato plant or sweet potato vine has been cultivated for around 2,000 years for its sweet tasting tubers. It is said that Columbus brought the plant to Europe from the New World on his expedition (Missouri Botanical Garden). Though the variety of sweet potato plant that produces the edible tubers can be planted for its trailing vines, more recently, different variations have been cultivated specifically for their ornamental foliage. The ornamental sweet potato vine is not grown for edible consumption.It does produce sweet potato tubers, and though these won't cause any harm if eaten, they tend to be bland and bitter. It is also worth noting that it is ill-advised to eat any element of a sweet potato vine that has not been specifically cultivated for food purposes, without knowing what pesticides may have been used on it that could be harmful when ingested.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Hardiness zone

9 - 11

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

Water
Sweet potato vines are a drought-tolerant plant, but will grow best with frequent watering. Water a plant enough to keep a soil evenly moist. This will help to create a humid-like atmosphere that a plant likes. Adding a layer of mulch will help preserve a moisture in a soil.
Sunlight
Semi-shade – this plant needs a lot of sunlight, but it has to be protected from the strongest rays of the sun.
Fertilizer
Liquid fertilizers are applied more frequently, bi-weekly or monthly, for example. Granular products are used less frequently, perhaps once every month or two. Slow-release houseplant fertilizers break down slowly and release their nutrients in small amounts, over a longer period of time. A single application of most of these products lasts for three to four months.

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Soil
Rich, well-draining soil.
Pruning
By removing overgrown foliage, you will improve airflow to the plant, and light will be better able to penetrate all portions of the plant. This actually leads to a fuller and healthier-looking houseplant.
Temperature
Nighttime temperatures should be above 40 to 45 degrees to avoid cold damage. Minimum nighttime temperatures below 55 degrees can delay growth.

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Container
Here’s a handy guideline: increase pot size by 2.5-5 cm (1 to 2 inches) in diameter for plants that are growing in pots 25.4 cm (10 inches) in diameter or less. For larger plants, those growing in pots greater than 10 inches in diameter, increase the pot size by 5 or 7.62 cm (2 or 3 inches) in diameter.
Additional
Tubers are edible but not meant for consumption. Leaves contain the same principal ingredient as LSD, and can be highly toxic to pets if ingested. Call your veterinarian or poison control center immediately if your pet exhibits symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, or hallucinations.
Popularity
3,313 people already have this plant 868 people have added this plant to their wishlists