The Advantages of Growing Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine

As summer lingers on you may be wondering what plants can outlast the heat. Sweet potato vine is one plant you can count on to produce attractive foliage and grow vigorously all summer long, even in the lingering August heat.

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Sweet potato vine in a MegaPot arrangement

Sweet potato vine is an excellent foliage accent in outdoor containers. It trails beautifully to provide plenty of color and lush foliage to complement more prominent flowering plants. Sweet potato vine will also spill attractively out of window boxes and hanging planters, as well as climb trellises and walls.

You can strategically pair sweet potato vine with perennial flowering climbers. It usually takes perennials several seasons to reach maturity in their designated space. While you wait for them to fill out a wall or trellis, sweet potato vine will easily cover the space for the summer season.

Easy Care

Sweet potato vine can handle warm temperatures and tolerate drought. Plant them when the soil and air temperatures are warm and any danger of frost is well past. Sweet potato vines are ideal for containers because they can adapt to varying levels of light. They will thrive on a shady porch as well as on a sunny balcony. If the plant begins to droop, give it plenty of water. It will recover quickly. Sweet potato vines thrive when kept evenly moist, but can survive drier conditions.

Sweet potato vines can overtake a space quickly. Don’t hesitate to prune back the plant at any time so that is doesn’t choke out its companions.

New vines are made easily from cuttings. To do this, simply remove the leaves except for a few at the top of the cutting. Then place the stem in a jar of water. Roots will form at the leaf nodes. You can plant your new vines once you have a small clump of healthy looking roots.

Popular Cultivars

Sweet potato vines come in an array of colors and shapes. There are deep purple vines, chartreuse vines, and coppery red vines. They also can produce a small flower. Sweet potato vines are relatives of morning glories, so their purple flowers are somewhat similar in appearance.

• ‘Sweet Caroline’ features pretty maple shaped leaves and radiant bronze color.
• ‘Midnight Lace’ is dark purple in color and showcaes thin and deeply lobed leaves. It is a more compact growing vine.
• ‘Marguerite’ is a commonly used cultivar. Its lime green color will brighten container arrangements.

Plan for Next Year

As you plan summer container arrangements for next year, don’t forget to use sweet potato vines. They are beautiful spillers and climbers. They will add plenty of lush foliage that is easy to care for and heat resistant to your outdoor arrangements.

Do you have a favorite variety of sweet potato vine?

Sources

“How to Grow Sweet Potato Vine” Guide to houseplants

“Sweet Potato Vine” Better Homes and Gardens.