Costa Farms

 

Passionate about plants? So are we! Costa Farms is a wholesale grower that discovers, develops, and grows plants for your home and life -- indoors and out. We’re your online gardening resource for plant info and inspiration. Our articles, blogs, tips, and photos help you use plants to beautify your living spaces and enhance your life.

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Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas

Sweet Potato Vine Plant Features

One of the most versatile plants around, you can grow sweet potato vine in sun or shade and in container gardens, landscapes, or garden beds and borders. The plant is loved for its colorful chartreuse, purple, bronze, copper, or black foliage. And because its beauty comes from the foliage, you can enjoy sweet potato vine all season long without worrying about whether it's going to go in and out of bloom. 

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.

Sweet Potato Vine Questions?
The Costa Farms team is happy to help. Send us an email and we'll get back to you.

Sweet Potato Vine Growing Instructions

Sweet potato vine grows practically anywhere, from full sun to full shade. In hot-summer climates such as Southern Florida, it can struggle in full sun during the hottest months, especially if the soil dries out. 

The plant grows best in moist, well-drained soil; if the ground stays too wet for too long, sweet potato vine may rot and die. If you grow it in containers, be sure the pots have drainage to allow excess water to escape. 

You typically don't have to worry about fertilizing sweet potato vine unless you want it to grow faster. 

When it's happy, sweet potato vine can be a vigorous grower, especially old-fashioned varieties that can grow quite large. Don't be afraid to prune or clip back the plant whenever it seems to get out of bounds. 

  • Light

    Outside: Part sun
    Outside: Shade
    Outside: Sun

  • Colors

    Green, Purple

  • Water

    Medium water needs

  • Special Features

    Colorful foliage
    Deer/rabbit resistant
    Groundcover

Complement your Sweet Potato Vine with these varieties:
Coleus
Coleus and sweet potato vine are perfect plant partners for providing big color through foliage and texture.

Cordyline
Accent tropical cordyline with the bold foliage of purple sweet potato vine.

Geranium, Annual
Geraniums are longtime classics for growing with sweet potato vines in planters and pots.

Varieties: Our Favorites

Ipomoea batatas 'Desana Bronze' Desana Bronze Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'Desana Bronze'

A top performer in our Costa Farms Trial Garden, Desana Bronze features bronze-purple heart-shaped foliage. It spreads to 4 feet.

Ipomoea batatas 'Desana Lime' Desana Lime Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'Desana Lime'

This fun variety shows off heart-shaped foliage in a bright shade of chartreuse-green. It spreads 4 feet wide.

Ipomoea batatas 'Floramia Rosso' Floramia Rosso Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'Floramia Rosso'

Floramia Rosso sweet potato vine is a unique variety that features heart-shaped leaves in shades of bronze, rose, and brown. It spreads to 4 feet or more.

Ipomoea batatas 'Illusion Emerald Lace' Illusion Emerald Lace Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'Illusion Emerald Lace'

Illusion Emerald Lace forms more of a mound than many other varieties, and shows off exciting, finely cut chartreuse leaves. It grows 3 feet wide.

Ipomoea batatas 'Ragtime' Ragtime Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'Ragtime'

Ragtime offered excellent performance over the summer in the Costa Farms Trial Garden. It shows off divided, almost lacy, purple foliage and can spread to 3 feet.

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarPower Black' SolarPower Black Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarPower Black'

Fast growing, SolarPower Black sweet potato vine keeps its rich purple-black color well, even in the heat of summer when other dark-leafed varieties tend to fade. It spreads to 3 feet.

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarPower Lime' SolarPower Lime Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarPower Lime'

One of the best varieties for areas with hot summers, SolarPower Lime sweet potato vine continues to thrive, no matter the weather. It grows 12 inches tall and 36 inches wide.

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarPower Red' SolarPower Red Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarPower Red'

SolarPower Red sweet potato vine features rusty-bronze foliage on a plant that has dense leaf coverage, so it won't get lanky like older varieties can. It spreads to 3 feet.

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarTower Black' SolarTower Black Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarTower Black'

Specially grown to be a vine, enjoy this beautiful plant's rich, deep purple leaves on trellises, arbors, and other structures. It can climb or spread to 84 inches.

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarTower Lime' SolarTower Lime Sweet Potato Vine

Ipomoea batatas 'SolarTower Lime'

Brighten sunny arbors, trellises, and other supports with this bold, colorful vine! It can climb to 84 inches in a season.