FAMILY: Convolvulacaea
GENUS: Impomea
SPECIES: batatas
Picture taken 9-3-09
The lime green cultivars like the ones in the above picture, will literally take over your yard! I also grew these in Minnesota and was literally amazed with them trailing over my brothers rock wall. Of course, they went through the fence into the yard as well! In the back yard here in Mississippi, they just took over! Any other plants you have near them will soon be swallowed up. I have not ever had these bloom, though, but some of them to grow tubers.
Picture taken 9-3-09.
The maroon leaved cultivars don’t grow near as fast as the lime green ones. They can actually be contained much better and they won’t take over and drive you nuts. These usually do produce lavender blooms and also may grow tubers. I prefer the dark leaved cultivars over the lime green. There are also cultivars with variegated leaves…
There are MANY different species of these ornamental sweet potatoes. Batatas may be more widely available at many garden centers, but sources of the other species are available.
Edible sweet potatoes as well as Morning Glories and other vining plants are in the same Genus.
If you want to plant something that trails over the sides of pots, planters, or walls, the Impomea batatas is a very good choice! Possibilities are limitless!
