As the cold nights push the thermometer to smaller numbers, plants find themselves victims of frost and sub-freezing temperatures. This intriguingly deep lobed leaf plant was rescued from certain death, and now resides in a Erlenmeyer flask growing new roots. Its name??? It looks similar to a sweet potato vine but I think the the lobes are too deep. Any guesses? Thank you, Jerry
Does it have white sap inside? It does look like a cultivar/sport of Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato vine.)
I am not sure about the sap since it dried and is now growing roots in a rooting flask. When it gets bigger I will snip off a leaf. While it resembles the purple sweet potato picture I took this summer, I am still not sure it is a cousin. Close. Perhaps there are several cultivars? As a winter experiment, I did buy a real sweet potato at the grocery store and will watch the resulting foliage. I am really after a purple sweet potato for the garden next spring. While on vacation we stopped by the Yankee Candle flagship store in So. Deerfield MA....18 pictures later we entered the store. The plants and flowers surrounding the store put on quite a show and the foliage of a purple sweet potato vine was an eye catcher. Jerry
Yes, that one's a classic, looks like 'Blackie.' The plain species Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) has a medium-dark green leaf. There are hundreds of various foliage sports, sold as cultivars. http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/9002067 http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/9001422
The plant is doing well. Surrounded by several plants that are being rerooted, the plant is in the kitchen window waiting for spring. With the holiday season over the plants are finding their way back to their usual haunts. They were displaced by a big tree, now sitting in the nearby woods. With over 60 plants competing for sunlight/grow lights space is at a premium. As it is a vine I don't want it to be too happy else it starts growing and runners seek new pastures. I will have to look in the garden catalogs and find a 'blackie' for this summer. The winter blankets of white are not finished yet and the warmer temperatures are months away. I snapped a picture of the 'Ipomoea batatas'. Jerry
Fun update, Jerry! I totally know what you mean about plant space during winter. It's a cram-fest here too! Did the grocery store potato start growing yet? I've only done those by chopping into pieces & putting them right in the ground outside. 'Blackie' is a standard wherever annuals are sold, usually about $2-3. Cataloging for that shouldn't be necessary unless you just like the ease of it.
I have not started the grocery store sweet potato yet. Not knowing how fast it would grow and with space at a premium, it still sits in the refrigerator mumbling with the milk and eggs. I will check with the local garden stores this spring for 'blackie' as it is a rather striking plant to spruce up a corner of the garden. for those who have never seen one here is a pix. Jerry
We get "Blackie" here in the late spring. It will come in with all the spring flowers and plants. I'd be curious to know if you're able to get your grocery store sweet potato to grow. It is my understanding (and I could be incorrect) that potatoes are sprayed with a retardant that stops them or slows them down considerably from sprouting. Am wondering if your sweet potato has been sprayed or if scrubbing it or washing it or ? would give it a better chance to sprout and grow. BTW I can relate to having lots of plants crammed into the house over winter
