{"product_id":"dark-leaf-sweet-potato-vine-ipomoea-batatas","title":"Dark Leaf Sweet Potato Vine - Ipomoea batatas","description":"\u003cp\u003eDark Leaf Sweet Potato Vine (\u003cem\u003eIpomoea batatas\u003c\/em\u003e) is a vigorous trailing vine grown for its deeply lobed, purple-black leaves, which are purple on the underside. It stays 20 to 40cm high but spreads about 1m, spilling from hanging pots or threading between shrubs as a dark groundcover. Lilac-mauve trumpet flowers appear too, though the foliage is the main event.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy you'll love it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNear-black foliage.\u003c\/strong\u003e Deeply cut, maple-like leaves in purple-black make the strongest contrast against lime, gold or silver plants and bright flowers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpills and trails.\u003c\/strong\u003e The stems cascade over the edges of hanging pots, baskets and raised planters, so one plant fills a container quickly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLoves heat and humidity.\u003c\/strong\u003e In warm, sunny gardens it grows hard and fast, which makes it a rewarding choice for new gardeners.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHolds its colour in sun.\u003c\/strong\u003e Sun or part sun keeps the leaves deep and dark, rather than fading toward green.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it works best\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHanging pots and baskets.\u003c\/strong\u003e Use a basket or pot at least 30cm wide with one plant, and let the stems trail a metre or more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContrast groundcover.\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant 80cm apart between shrubs, or along the front of a bed. It spreads about 1m wide, so it covers bare soil within a season in warm weather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMixed containers.\u003c\/strong\u003e Pair it with gold or lime foliage in a large pot, with the vine as the trailing edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eGrowing Dark Leaf Sweet Potato Vine in Australia\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePosition and climate.\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun or part sun, which keeps the leaf colour deep. It loves heat and humidity, so in tropical and subtropical gardens it can be planted year round. In drier climates it stays more compact. It is frost tender: in cold climates treat it like a dahlia and lift the tubers each autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSoil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Any free draining soil or potting mix will do. Rich soil only gives more leaf than you need.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater and feed.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water regularly, especially in pots and baskets, which dry out fast in summer sun. A light feed with a slow release fertiliser at planting is enough for the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePruning.\u003c\/strong\u003e Trim long stems whenever it outgrows its space, and pinch the tips for a bushier habit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect when it arrives\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe sell Dark Leaf Sweet Potato Vine as tube stock: a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly in warm soil. Expect a small start that picks up speed as the weather warms, filling a pot or a bare patch over a single season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tube is supplied by our grower, so stock comes and goes. If it shows as sold out when you visit, press the notify button on the page and we will email you the day it is back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant care guides and related reading\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/groundcover\"\u003eGroundcover plants for Australian gardens\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003ePlants for pots and hanging baskets\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/collections\/tropical-plants\"\u003eTropical plants\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/blog\/designing-a-tropical-garden-that-looks-lush-year-round\"\u003eDesigning a tropical garden that looks lush year round\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I eat it?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo. This is the ornamental form, grown for its leaves and not for its roots, so do not eat the foliage or tubers. Keep it away from pets and children who like to chew garden plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill it survive winter?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn frost free tropical and subtropical gardens it carries on through the year. Where frost arrives, the top growth is lost. Lift the tubers in autumn, store them in a pot of vermiculite as you would a dahlia, and replant when the soil warms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far will it spread?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 1m wide on a plant that stands only 20 to 40cm tall, and more in humid heat if the soil is rich. Trim it back when it reaches the plants beside it.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nursery Near Me","offers":[{"title":"Tube (Backorder)","offer_id":67790343045439,"sku":"IPO-BAT-tube","price":27.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0691\/2917\/5359\/files\/dark-leaf-sweet-potato-vine-ipomoea-batatas.jpg?v=1792208499","url":"https:\/\/nurserynearme.com.au\/products\/dark-leaf-sweet-potato-vine-ipomoea-batatas","provider":"Nursery Near Me","version":"1.0","type":"link"}