Tricolor Sweet Potato Vine/ ipomoea batatas (single plant)

The Tricolor Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas ‘Tricolor’) is a stunning ornamental variety of sweet potato, grown not for its tubers but for its vibrant foliage. It’s a favorite in gardens, hanging baskets, and containers because of its colorful trailing leaves.

🌿 Plant Overview

• Common Name: Tricolor Sweet Potato Vine

• Botanical Name: Ipomoea batatas ‘Tricolor’

• Family: Convolvulaceae (Morning Glory family)

• Type: Tender perennial vine (grown as annual in cooler regions)

• Origin: Cultivar of the edible sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

🍃 Appearance

• Leaves: Heart-shaped to lobed, variegated in green, pink, and creamy white tones.

• Growth Habit: Vigorous trailing or climbing vine.

• Size: Trails 4–6 ft long if not pruned.

• Flowers: Occasionally produces small, trumpet-shaped, pale lavender to white flowers (similar to morning glory), but uncommon in ornamentals.

🌞 Growing Conditions

• Light: Grows in full sun to partial shade. Colors are most vibrant in bright light.

• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil, enriched with organic matter.

• Watering: Regular watering; keep evenly moist but avoid soggy soil.

• Temperature: Thrives in warm climates (20–30°C). Frost-sensitive.

• Fertilizer: Light feeding with balanced fertilizer monthly during growing season. Too much nitrogen may reduce leaf variegation.

✂️ Care & Maintenance

• Pruning: Trim regularly to control length and encourage bushier growth.

• Container Use: Excellent for hanging baskets, window boxes, or as a spiller in mixed planters.

• Groundcover: Can also be used as a colorful low-maintenance groundcover in tropical gardens.

• Pests/Diseases: Generally hardy; may attract aphids, whiteflies, or beetles.