Sweet Potato Vines in Hanging Baskets 

Also known as Ornamental Sweet Potato or the Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)

Sweet Potato Vines are a great plant for hanging baskets, hanging and garden planters, and they work well in window boxes too.  Plant them alone or mix them in with other annuals or perennials they perform very well and their vibrant range of foliage and trailing habit add a touch of drama. 

They will grow in semi shade, but really thrive in full sun.

Fantastic Foliage adds Great “Texture” to Hanging Basket combinations

The bright foliage of the sweet potato vine ranges from stunning vibrant green, chartreuse, dark purplish black to variegated with soft greens, creams and pinks

Sweet potato vine is especially well suited for containers, hanging baskets and planters as the leaves adds great texture and color to almost any combination.

Ads they as a vine they will drape over the edges and sides of your baskets and planters, providing a cascade of color.

If they become to “leggy” all you need to do is to trim them by cutting the tips and this will encourage bushier growth.

When you plant your Sweet Potato vines you can generally plant upto two to three tuber per 16” basket.

Also known as Ornamental Sweet Potato or the Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)

Sweet Potato Vines are a great plant for hanging baskets, hanging and garden planters, and they work well in window boxes too.  Plant them alone or mix them in with other annuals or perennials they perform very well and their vibrant range of foliage and trailing habit add a touch of drama. 

They will grow in semi shade, but really thrive in full sun.

Fantastic Foliage adds Great “Texture” to Hanging Basket combinations

The bright foliage of the sweet potato vine ranges from stunning vibrant green, chartreuse, dark purple black to variegated with soft greens, creams and pinks

Sweet potato vine is especially well suited for containers, hanging baskets and planters as the leaves adds great texture and color to almost any combination.

Ads they as a vine they will drape over the edges and sides of your baskets and planters, providing a cascade of color.

If they become to “leggy” all you need to do is to trim them by cutting the tips and this will encourage bushier growth.

When you plant your Sweet Potato vines you can generally plant up to two to three tuber per 16” basket.

Propagation & Over Wintering

You can buy the tubers, or plants at your favorite garden center each spring, however you can also store the finished tubers each fall like tender perennial bulbs

Dig up your tubers in the fall, we do not recommend washing them off with water or a damp cloth. Rather let them sit and dry, then brush off any loose dirt from the tubers and then store in a cardboard or wooden box with some straw away from anywhere that mice or other rodents might decide to use them as a winter feast.  Do not put them into a closed or air tight plastic container as they will most likely “sweat” and get moldy.

Taking cuttings is also easy.  Simply remove one or more of the lower leafs of a potato vine just below a leaf node, cut at a 45 degree angle with a clean knife or scissors. The leaf node is where the leaf has grown out of the vine or stem or will grow out of the vine or stem of the sweet potato vine.

You can buy the tubers, or plants at your favorite garden center each spring, however you can also store the finished tubers each fall like tender perennial bulbs

Dig up your tubers in the fall, we do not recommend washing them off with water or a damp cloth. Rather let them sit and dry, then brush off any loose dirt from the tubers and then store in a cardboard or wooden box with some straw away from anywhere that mice or other rodents might decide to use them as a winter feast.  Do not put them into a closed or air tight plastic container as they will most likely “sweat” and get moldy.

Taking cuttings is also easy.  Simply remove one or more of the lower leafs of a potato vine just below a leaf node, cut at a 45 degree angle with a clean knife or scissors. The leaf node is where the leaf has grown out of the vine or stem or will grow out of the vine or stem of the sweet potato vine.

Put the leaf in water in a warm spot making sure you change the water daily especially if you put your water container in direct light.

Photo Above: Ornamental sweet potato varieties, clockwise from top left - 'Black Heart', 'Blackie', 'Tricolor' and 'Marguerite'.

The four varieties of ornamental sweet potato vines as show above are the most readily available - 'Blackie', 'Marguerite', 'Black Heart' and 'Tricolor'. 'Blackie' has greenish or purple leaves that are deeply lobed. 'Marguerite' on the other hand has bright, chartreuse green heart-shaped leaves. 'Black Heart' has also heart-shaped leaves which are dark purple. 'Tricolor' is perhaps the most spectacular variety with variegated, palmate leaves with splashes of green, white, and pink. Unfortunately, it exhibits a less vigorous growth pattern.

Is it Really a Potato?

The sweet potato is not related to the true potato, which is a member of the tomato family. While the sweet potatoes tubers are edible, the “potatoes” or tubers from this ornamental plant tend to be small and bitter.  In Asia the young leaves are stir-fried as a leafy vegetable often with chili and minced dried seafood like shrimps.

Flowers Brighten Hanging Baskets in Downtown Matthews North Carolina

Many people have commented on the beautiful planters and hanging baskets in Downtown Matthews and have asked for the names of the plants. Below is a listing of the plants that are in the planters and hanging baskets this summer. This is the 10th year the Town has had the planters and the 4th year they have installed the baskets. We are glad you are enjoying them.

Email Us, Mark@GardenSquirrel.com