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Posted By: chenno ? potato vine? - January 18th, 2007 at 11:22 PM
I posted this in the summer, as it was called a maple plant...then,I was told a potato vine? I took it in, and all the new leaves fall off, yet it seems to be fine with the vine?? thoughts/;-)they crumble and fall off?


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Posted By: zuzu's petals Re: ? potato vine? - January 19th, 2007 at 01:23 AM
Yes, "Sweet Potato Vine" (Ipomoea batatas) probably the variety called "Blackie".
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This is a tender perennial that is only winter hardy to zone 9 and up.
I'd say that it's probably behaving badly because it wants more sun and heat,
just imagine growing a crop of sweet potatoes,
they'd want summertime heat and full sun all day long,
your little plant wants the same thing, he doesn't understand winter.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: ? potato vine? - January 19th, 2007 at 01:12 PM
Angie - did you know that you can cut a sweet potato into segments about 2 inches big, and pot them up? They will grow a very nice vine for you too! I did this a few springs ago, and then put it outside - I'm going to have to do it again, just as soon as I find some window space! laugh Duh

These were the "potatoes" that I got from it at the end of the season:
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The REAL sweet potato plant is the vine in the center of this:
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Posted By: chenno Re: ? potato vine? - January 19th, 2007 at 01:25 PM
Thanks ZuZu and Lynne:-)

Should I cut it back?
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Posted By: margaret e. pell Re: ? potato vine? - January 19th, 2007 at 04:40 PM
Does the sweet-pot vine bloom? (Not the Ipomoea.)
Posted By: debnoel Re: ? potato vine? - January 19th, 2007 at 05:01 PM
I had them in pots where the got tons of sun all summer and the black one had quite a pretty little pink blossom. I had had them before, but I had never seed them blossom so it was neat to see.
Posted By: zuzu's petals Re: ? potato vine? - January 20th, 2007 at 08:49 AM
Quote
Originally posted by margaret e. pell:
Does the sweet-pot vine bloom? (Not the Ipomoea.)
shocked I'm sorry, my post was confusing.
Ipomoea batatas IS real sweet potato.
Sweet Potato is in the same plant family as Morning Glory, believe it or not,
and has a similar (though smaller) trumpet shaped flower.

Chenno ~ It is possible that if you dug up your plant, you might find tubers in the soil.
But, to be honest, the plant looks pretty small, and it may not have formed any potatoes.
I grew mine outside this summer and dug up several potatoes when the weather turned cold.
I'm saving them and I will replant them in about 6 weeks. grinnnn
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: ? potato vine? - January 21st, 2007 at 08:00 PM
Margaret - my vines from a real sweet potato did not bloom, but then again, I'm not sure if they had enough time to grow and bloom.
Posted By: redneckinwayz Re: ? potato vine? - January 22nd, 2007 at 03:43 AM
Great info, love them pictures.
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