As implied by its name, you might assume the ornamental sweet potato vine is for decoration only.
Is this plant edible, like the root vegetable we know and love, or is it merely for show?
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Here’s what we’ll cover:
What Are Ornamental Sweet Potatoes?Best known for their colorful green or purple leaves, this vining plant works well indoors and out.
And the cultivars of this plant that have been deemed ornamental are related to the sweet potatoes we love to put on our dinner plates.
In fact, they are of the same species, Ipomoea batatas, though these specially selected cultivars are more commonly grown for their attractiveness (and hence are deemed “ornamental”) rather than being something we might be more inclined to feature in the vegetable garden with a future root harvest in mind.
In addition to their showy leaves, these plants also produce tubers, similar to the root vegetables we see in the grocery store but generally less fleshy and robust. The tubers can easily be propagated to start new plants, and they are simple to grow.
There are more than a few different ornamental series and cultivars available in a range of foliage colors and leaf shapes, in shades of green and purple as well as a variegated multicolored variety, some with heart-shaped leaves, others with three lobes or something resembling that of a maple.
If you can’t get your hands on some slips or seed tubers, they can be purchased as potted plants as well.
Sweet Caroline™ ‘Light Green’
Try the bright ‘Light Green’ variety from the Sweet Caroline™ Series by Proven Winners, available in four-packs from Home Depot.
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