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Ipomoea batatas

Common name:	Sweet Potato	Family:	Convolvulaceae
Author:	(L.)Poir.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Pantropical.
Habitat:	Derived in cultivation, probably from Ipomoea trifida, this species is not known in a truly wild situation.
Edibility Rating (1-5):	5	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Solanales. Morning-glory family
Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds	From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia , DEFRA Injurious Weeds
	Listed as noxious/invasive for: USA Invasive.

Physical Characteristics

Perennial Climber growing to 3m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 5/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Edible Uses

Leaves Root.

Root - cooked[200]. Sweet and fleshy, it is a delicious staple food and is also very nutritious providing a rich source of vitamins and minerals[200, K]. There are cultivars with soft, moist flesh and also forms with a more dry flesh[200]. There are also less sweet cultivars, bred for industrial production of starch[200]. In order for the roots to store through the winter, they need to be cured in the sunshine at temperatures around 25° c fr about a week before being stored at around 14° c[264].
Young shoot tips[264].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Biomass.

The root is a source of starch[200].

Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it prefers a well-drained, sandy loam soil and requires a sunny position[200, 264]. Ample potash in the soil is essential for a good crop[264]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5[200]. A low humidity as the plants reach maturity is beneficial[200].
Plants are not frost hardy and can only be grown in areas where at least 3 months of frost-free conditions can be supplied. They grow best in a temperature range of 22 - 25° c[200] and can mature a crop within 2 months in tropical areas, though at least three months are required in sub-tropical regions[264].
The sweet potato was developed in cultivation, probably from the central American species Ipomoea trifida (HBK.)D.Don[264]. It is widely grown in tropical regions as a staple root crop and also as an industrial source of starch[200]. It can also be grown in sub-tropical areas, but is not generally suited for temperate regions. However, a cultivar 'Beauregard' has been introduced than can produce reasonable yields in the temperate zone, though even this cultivar will require the extra warmth prvided by a cold frame or cold greenhouse if it is to produce well[200].
A scrambling or climbing plant, when the stems lay along the soil they will root and form tubers[264].
A short-day plant, it requires less than 11 hours of sunlight per day to initiate flowering[200]. However, day length variation appears to have little effect upon tuber production[200].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water, or scarify the seed, and sow in individual pots in a greenhouse in early spring. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at 22° c. Plants are extremely resentful of root disturbance, even when they are quite small, and should be potted up almost as soon as they germinate. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Seedlings can be very variable and are likely to be less productive than vegetatively produced plants[200].
Stem cuttings obtained from terminal shoots[200]. Remove the lower leaves and insert the cuttings to half their depth in individual pots.

Cultivars

'Beauregard': A cultivar developed for growing in more temperate latitudes, it has cropped successfully with some protection in southern England.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

Latin and Worldwide Common Names From Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database by M. H. Porcher et. al. 1995 - 2000 Landcare Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Crop Production,Institute of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

References for the family Convolvulaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[264] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables Macmillan Reference Books, London. 1995 ISBN 0 333 62640 0
Excellent and easily read book with good information and an excellent collection of photos of vegetables from around the world, including many unusual species.

Readers Comments

Morning Glory Website

Rich (michael@thewitchshaven.com) Tue Oct 24 09:27:47 2000

An interesting page from a Convolvulaceae enthusiast which features many pictures of the plants and a seed swap area. The page is at http://www.exoticplants.org.uk/.

Cross references: Plants: Calystegia japonica. Genera: Calystegia, Ipomoea, Convolvulus.

Main Search Page Help Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Ipomoea+batatas
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Ipomoea+batatas

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