Sweet potato
Ipomoea batatas
Also called Sweet potato vine and Kumara
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitIt is a MORNING GLORY, not a potato, and it needs heat the way a potato does not. Under fleece or in a tunnel in most of the target market; outdoors it just sits there.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 3 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun, and it wants heat
- Feed
- Every 30 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 0.4 m tall · 2 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Central and South America
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-04.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.