# Does anybody have ornamental sweet potato they can share cuttings of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578 "2016-03-29T22:25:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/1 "2016-03-29T22:25:57Z")
A house down the street had them last summer and they’re beautiful! They have both the bright green and purple/black ones mixed, which looks awesome together. I had no idea what they were and had to look them up. I have a perfect place for them but they’re kind of expensive. I’ll spend $50 for mail order plants if I have to, but dang! Happily reimburse you for trouble and shipping of course. I guess this can be a general sweet potato discussion thread, too…don’t know that I’ve ever seen one of those… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/2 "2016-03-29T22:47:05Z")
Any sweet potato will create a pretty house plant. My grandmother potted several that I recall from childhood. > **[How to Grow a Sweet Potato Vine in Water](https://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-sweet-potato-vine-water-39519.html)** > > Either ornamental or edible sweet potato vines (Ipomoea batatas) root easily in water in three to four weeks. Edible sweet potatoes root from the tubers themselves, and ornamental types root from stem cuttings. I’m not familiar with store bought ornamental sweet potato plants. Maybe they have been genetically altered in some way? ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/3 "2016-03-29T22:48:09Z")
I can’t help you with the cuttings, but I must say, I’d never heard of ornamental sweet potatoes until I read the title of your thread. I’ve looked them up now, and they do look very attractive. But now I can’t stop picturing a sweet potato on my mantlepiece. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/4 "2016-03-29T22:54:33Z")
good article on ornamental sweet potato plants. lists several varieties the OP can search out and possibly buy. Burpee is a good place to check first. > **[Growing Sweet Potato Vines - Care Of Ornamental Sweet Potato](https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/sweet-potato/grow-sweet-potato-plant.htm)** > > The ornamental sweet potato plant is different from its vegetable sibling. While it does produce edible sweet potato tubers, the ornamental variety bears more colorful foliage, making it a popular houseplant. Learn more here. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/5 "2016-03-30T14:05:24Z")
Several sellers on eBay: [sweet potato vines for sale | eBay](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2141725.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC2.A0.H0.Xsweet+potato+vines.TRS0&_nkw=sweet+potato+vines&_sacat=0) ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/6 "2016-04-01T03:47:19Z")
Come visit Dallas in early summer. The stuff is used EVERYWHERE esp. in commercial landscaping, often in the blackish/bright lime combo you’ve seen, and if you’re not up for “borrowing” some cuttings, the local big box stores all carry them. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/7 "2016-04-01T15:14:16Z")
One thing the OP can do is buy a sizable plant at a local nursery greenhouse and take cuttings (one good-sized specimen might have half-a-dozen stems suitable for trimming and making cuttings with). Place the stems in moist soil, cover with a plastic bag, place in bright light (little to no direct sun) and accustom to full sun outdoors when the weather warms. I have done this with coleus when I wanted a bunch of plants but wasn’t willing to spend $5 each for 7 pots. With ornamental sweet potato you can also cut off the top growth around the time of the first light frost, dig up the tuber and keep it dormant over the winter in a cool dry spot (i.e. place in dry potting soil, add a bit of water from time to time to keep it from shriveling). Then start it up again in spring. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2016, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/8 "2016-04-01T17:46:56Z")
I love those and get them each year. Around me, just about every nursery, plus Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, and even grocery stores have plants for a couple bucks each. Once the plants are out, you might find some there, and you can then take cuttings and propagate your own from your purchase. I agree, they’re beautiful! ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/9 "2016-04-06T03:43:48Z")
Thanks everybody for the tips…I found a couple local sources, and it looks like I need to wait until mid May or so to ensure they’ll be successful. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-have-ornamental-sweet-potato-they-can-share-cuttings-of/750578/10 "2016-04-06T04:01:44Z")
I just take regular sweet potatoes and bedazzle them.