Bitterroot Restoration

Order: Solanales
Family: Convolvulaceae
Common name: Misti alu(Beng.); Sweet potato(Eng.).
Life cycle: Perennial
Native Range: Native to Africa and Asia

Ipomoea batatas is large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. Their young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens.

It need full sun with a well-drained, slightly acidic soil mix. The ideal soil is a deep friable sandy loam soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5.

This plant is a herbaceous perennial vine, bearing alternate heart-shaped or palmately lobed leaves and medium-sized sympetalous flowers. Their edible tuberous root is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose colour ranges between red, purple, brown and white. Its flesh ranges from white through yellow, orange, and purple.