Ipomoea batatas

Main Bloom Time: Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Spreading or horizontal.

Ipomoea batatas is a PERENNIAL CLIMBER growing to 3 m at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. The species is hermaphrodite .
Suitable for: light and medium soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Landscape Uses:Alpine garden, Arbor, Container, Ground cover, Specimen. An easily grown plant, it prefers a well-drained, sandy loam soil and requires a sunny position. Ample potash in the soil is essential for a good crop. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5. A low humidity as the plants reach maturity is beneficial. 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 and can mature a crop within 2 months in tropical areas, though at least three months are required in sub-tropical regions. The sweet potato was developed in cultivation, probably from the central American species Ipomoea trifida D.Don. It is widely grown in tropical regions as a staple root crop and also as an industrial source of starch. 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. A scrambling or climbing plant, when the stems lay along the soil they will root and form tubers. A short-day plant, it requires less than 11 hours of sunlight per day to initiate flowering. However, day length variation appears to have little effect upon tuber production. Special Features:
Attractive foliage, Edible.