Sweet potato vines are the same species as that plant that grows sweet potatoes. The ornamental vines are cultivars that are grown for their beautiful-looking leaves and not their tuberous roots.
Is there a difference between sweet potato and sweet potato vine?
Technically speaking a sweet potato plant and a sweet potato vine are the same specie Ipomoea Batatas that are part of the morning glory family. The difference is that sweet potato vines are usually cultivars that are grown as ornamentals for the appearance of their lush and colorful vegetation.
Do you get sweet potatoes from sweet potato vine?
Yes, sweet potato vines grown from edible sweet potato varieties will produce edible sweet potatoes. To turn your vines into a crop of tasty tubers, plant them outside in May, and you can dig up the sweet potatoes from underground in late fall, when they’ll be ready to eat.
What is another name for sweet potato vine?
Ipomoea batatas (Edible Sweetpotato, Ornamental Sweetpotato, Sweetpotato, Sweet Potato Vine, Sweetpotato Vine, Water Spinach) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
Can you eat potatoes from a potato vine?
While you can eat the potatoes from a decorative potato or sweet potato vine, they likely won’t taste as good as the more common varieties you’d find at the grocery store or farmer’s market.
Should I trim my sweet potato vines?
The vines of sweet potatoes tend to ramble far and wide, which is why many home gardeners don’t raise them. If vines are wandering out of bounds, try turning them back into the vegetable garden. It’s best not to trim vines; they help feed the potatoes.
Can you eat sweet potato vine roots?
Like the edible varieties the ornamental sweet potato vine will produce tuberous roots. The purple tuberous roots are edible but gardeners who have tried them, say they’re not tasty. Some gardeners try saving the tuberous roots overwinter much like dahlias. They store them in a cool dark location.
Is sweet potato vine poisonous to humans?
The leaves, stems, and tubers of sweet potato vine are not toxic. The tubers are edible, but ornamental varieties were bred to produce lovely foliage, not a delicious crop. If you want to eat the tubers, it’s better to plant a variety specifically meant for food production.
Can you save sweet potato vine tubers?
Yes, you can store the tubers for next spring’s planting. In the fall simply remove all foliage from the tuber, wash off any soil and let the tuber dry thoroughly for about 24 hours. After it dries, store the tuber in dry peat moss and keep in a dark area that maintains a steady temperature between 50 and 60 degrees.
Do sweet potato plants come back every year?
Ornamental sweet potato vines will come back every year if you live in a warm enough climate (zones 9+). However, they will not survive outside through the winter in colder climates.
Are there different types of sweet potato vine?
5 Different Sweet Potato Vine Varieties
Light green is more manageable, while still being easy to grow. Blackie is a beautiful dark purple colour and blends well with pinks and blues. Tricolour is a mix of pink, cream and green and adds a delicate pastel tone to combinations.
Do ornamental sweet potato vines produce potatoes?
Like the edible versions, ornamental sweet potatoes are vining plants related to morning glories, but the ornamental types are grown strictly for their attractive foliage. A common question is, “Do they produce edible sweet potatoes?” The answer is no.
What can I make with sweet potato vines?
While it’s traditionally used as an accent plant, you can also grow sweet potato vine as a focal point on its own. Compact varieties are fun in hanging baskets and window boxes; larger varieties are outstanding in large containers or as an annual groundcover.
Can you eat the bulb from a sweet potato vine?
Longer answer: Yes, you can eat a sweet potato vine tuber, but you probably don’t want to. Ornamental sweet potato vines are selected for their foliage — the lush leaves that tumble out of pots and window boxes so decoratively. The tubers are not even a consideration, and so don’t usually taste very good.
Can I eat sweet potato leaves everyday?
Including sweet potato leaves in your daily diet helps you maintain a healthy blood pressure and reduces the risk of having heart attacks. Now, this is the most interesting quality of sweet potato leaves: they have antioxidants and antimutagenic compounds or substances that reduce the rate of mutation of cancer cells.
What are the side effects of eating sweet potatoes?
Sweet Potato Side Effect
- May Lead to Stones. Sweet potatoes have a high oxalate content.
- Vitamin A Toxicity. They are a rich source of vitamin A.
- Kidney Failure. If you are struggling with liver or kidney issues, you should probably avoid eating them.
- Heart Problems.
- Stomach Problems.
- Blood Sugar Issues.
How many sweet potatoes do you get from one sweet potato plant?
How many sweet potatoes do you get from one plant? Typically, you’ll be able to harvest 3-5 tubers per sweet potato plant, which is about 1-2 pounds. But if you live in a warmer climate, you may harvest six or more tubers per plant.
What does it mean when a sweet potato plant flowers?
Flowering just means that the vines are mature enough and have enough leaf area to start forming tubers. It doesn’t mean the tubers are ready to harvest. Until they reach mature size, your potatoes should be watered regularly though the summer, from 1 to 3 inches of water per week, as needed.
How soon can you eat sweet potatoes after harvest?
about two to three weeks
While it’s tempting to eat your newly harvested sweet potatoes immediately, it’s important to let them cure first. During the curing process, the starches inside the sweet potatoes convert to sugars, and that takes about two to three weeks with proper storage.
What part of the sweet potato vine is edible?
If sweet flesh is what you’re after, choosing a variety specifically selected for eating is recommended. The leaves and stems of the vine are also edible, with a slightly tangy flavor and a texture somewhat similar to spinach.
How do you eat a sweet potato vine?
Boiling the sweet potato vine leaves in a small amount of water removes any toughness or bitterness. Once the sweet potato greens are tender, chop the leaves and use them in recipes or sauté them with butter and garlic, then splash the hot sweet potato greens with soy sauce or vinegar and a dash of salt.