Ornamental Sweet Potatoe Vine

Do I need to purchase special potatoes for sweet potato vines or can I just plant ones from the grochery store? If so, what color might it be?

The ornamentals are not regular sweet potatoes. Spring for a few pots and let them spread, in the fall save the tubers where they dont freeze and I think we'll be okay.... I'll let you know in a month or so.
Sidney

A friend of mine saved his tubers over the winter (dug them
out last fall and put them in his basement) and said this
spring he's got LOTS of new ones growing. Sugarweed's
advice lines up with my friend's experience.

They can be rooted from cuttings too.

I tried to save the tuber- but it rotted Now I take a bunch of cuttings and then take cuttings from the cuttings!! Jungle plants!!!

Yep.

Any one have extra to trade?

Maxine

Let me see whats still viable.
Sidney

I have some if you would like one. The ones that look the best for me are the ones with the dark green pointed leaves. They were a new variety that came out to our area last year. As mentioned above they are very easy to root. I am from Wisc. and have a greenhouse and have just rooted about 15 of them.

Mine last yr. in a basket [purchsed] had vaigated leaves, green and white.

Maxine

I grew several this year. They took over. I cut them back 1x a week and rooted them in my house. This year I will dig them up save the tubers and the 'potato' and see what happens. I planted two 4" pots in a small garden spot 4X10, big big results! Plan for space!!

Maxine,

I can do cuttings of the tri-colored ones. They grow like crazy and look great trailing from a pot.

Leslie

Leslie, can I have those next April or early May? Right now we are heading into fall according to the hills covered with trees.

Thanks for the offer.

Sweet Potato Vine can be overwintered inside I would imagine??!! I have 'Blackie', 'Margarita' and the 'Tri-color'. Will be doing cuttings for in the house overwinter since I do not know yet if the ones outside will survive the Winter of not. Seems they should since we have mild winters, but I am new to this particular plant so couldn't say. Anyone know--upstate SC zone 7/8?? Thanks!! Bonnie

PS--have huge plants so anyone wants some, dmail me and we will talk!!

Bonnie please see the 2nd post on this thread. I think if you keep them like under the house or other protected spot, they will overwinter fine. I'll be mulching mine heavy after they die back.
;)

Maxine,

Remind me next spring and I'd be happy to send you some.

Leslie

Thanks Leslie. DH says I must cut back on house plants. Health isn't that good and he wouldn't know how to take care of them. And wouldn't you know, a friend gave me a house plant yesterday for my birthday which was a month ago. Said THANK YOU and kept my mouth shut!!

I have Blackie, also a deep purple/black one with heart shaped leaves, the lime green one and the tri-colored one with pink in it. I would be glad to trade cuttings with anyone who has other ones than these or will send cuttings for Priority postage. Those of you who rooted them, do you do it in water or soil? Can they grow all winter in water? If you save the tubers, do you cut them up when you plant them in the spring or plant the whole thing?
Thanks!

Susan

Oh good questions, Susan!!

Susan last year I had some in pots that died back to the tuber in the fall and came back full force to resprout in the spring. We only had a dozen days below freezing.
sidney

During warm season I root in water and in two weeks I'm ready to pot plantlets with no problem. I let mine die over winter and they come back on their own. So I have not had a need to overwinter. I will say the heart shaped one (I think it's called ace of spades) is the most delicate. That one I've had to rebuy. I my area, it also costs a little more and not as easy to find.

I have both tricolor and blackie and will be trimming them back soon as they have headed for town.

Is this the one you all refer to as Blackie?

it looks like blackie. mine is in full sun so the leaves are a uniform deep purple, but I've noticed that after rains or if it is underwatered, the color tends to fade some

I have one like "blackie" that's more of a consistent deep purple, although new leaves start out green for a few days.
Glad I read this thread-- I love this stuff but it's so darn expensive for an annual (zone 5b).
So, If I do cuttings and root them, can I grow 'em as houseplants through the winter and then have new cuttings to root for spring? Or do they do poorly indoors?

blckwolf256, your photo looks like the new one I bought this year called 'Sweet Caroline Bronze'.

As long as i kept the lil fellow in the shade...it stays a beautiful dark purple...but hubby moved it out in the sun last week...and I did not pay attention to it...until it started looking SICK. Its back in the shade and looking much better.
I have had it in the house for 2 winters in the hanging basket...then move it out when it gets warm again and it does great.

If it is purple in the shade, it is not Sweet Caroline Bronze. It would be Blackie. Sweet Caroline is definitely bronze, even in the shade.

AH HA!! Thanks!! I was not sure what it was, but I sure do like it!!

blckwolf, I have mine in full sun as well as in part sun. The ones in part sun discolor in the manner you described, but new leaves come back purple and stay purple. If I can grow in full TX sun, I would think you can grow in AL as well.

Hummm...you would think so. When new leaves come out...for the first 24 hours or so, they are green...then they turn pretty quickly to purple. I have never tried planting them in the ground. And I notice some lil bug LOVEs to munch on them...but I have not seen them yet. So I am not sure what it is feasting on it.
One year I did catch a BIG UGLY tomatoe worm on it.
We had moved our plants in for the fall, and I noticed a jar near the plant. seemed like everyday there was more and more little black seed looking things in the jar, and the leaves started dissappearing on the plant. Finally I asked my hubby...what was in the jar?? He said he had been sweeping up the seeds that were falling off the sweet potatoe vine, and putting them in a jar so I could plant them.
Well, after finding the T. Worm...I figured out what he had been saving for me.....
Yep...Worm POOP...not seeds. I still get teary eyed when I think about the goof collecting poop for me to plant.
He hates when I tell that story.LOL....LOL

I love it!!!

i guess love i blind, in more ways than one, LOL

blkwolf, here is the ipomea planted inground. from a distance, a spectacular mass. Doing so well because I've had to water so much more this summer.

and here is the "swiss cheese" look, because that same watering brings outs the slugs. Grrrr. It doesn't really show unless you're standing right on top, like for this pic.

Well, I think the ones at HD here come with slugs. The ones in the store looked just like that this afternoon.
I prefer to feed bugs I already have, as they seem to have ravenous appetites.
That is a striking planting.
sidney

The tears are tears from laughing so hard that I loose my breathe...lol
HONEST!!!!

VOSS...yep that is the same look mine get...but they are up off the ground in hanging baskets.....nasty lil slugs!!
And WOW!!! Yours look awesome!! I was happy to get what I have in the pic...I had no idea I could put them in the ground....remember I am lost when it comes to some plants...lol

The swiss cheese look seems to be popular all over this year. My coleus and brugs have has it for awhile and then a few days ago we got some hail and now my castor beans have holey leaves too.

Susan

I found this little fellow yesterday, munching on a few plants. I have never seen anything like him...and he might have come in with the Hurricane...but he is now in a jar.
Sorry for the blurr to the picture.

Oh, we need much clearer picture.
sidney