Biological Name:
Solanum dulcamara (Potato-Vine)
Natural Habitat:
Potato-Vine: This plant is native to South America and grows in a variety of habitats, including fields, forests, and along roadsides.
Description:
Potato vine is a type of flowering plant that is commonly found in fields and other grassy areas. It is a member of the Solanaceae family which also includes plants such as tomatoes and peppers. Potato vine is a perennial plant that produces glossy green leaves and clusters of small white or purple flowers. The plant is often used as an ornamental plant because of its attractive flowers and colorful foliage. In some areas potato vine is considered a weed because of its ability to invade cultivated areas and cause damage to crops and other plants.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Is a potato vine an annual or perennial?
A: Sweet potato vine is easy to maintain and tolerant of different growing conditions, including heat, humidity and shade. It is a tender perennial grown as an annual in most regions.
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Q: Should I prune a potato vine?
A: Pruning potato vine Pruning isn’t really needed but you can still balance or reduce branches overall. Indeed, potato vine can quickly become invasive if it has settled in well, and that’s why pruning it often can help control it. Prune both in in spring and summer if you need to prune several times.
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Q: Do potato vines do well in full sun?
A: Light. Sweet potato vines love the sun but will also grow in partial shade and sometimes full shade. The more sun the plant gets, the more vibrant its leaf color will typically be.
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Q: Does potato vine come back every year?
A: Ornamental sweet potato vines will come back every year if you live in a warm enough climate (zones 9+). However, they will not survive outside through the winter in colder climates.
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Q: How do you control potato vines?
A: The most effective herbicides are those with main ingredients triclopyr or glyphosate (Langeland & Burkes 1998, Wheeler et al. 2007). The best time to apply herbicide is in late fall when the plant begins to move sugars back into its tubers. Repeated and well-timed applications may kill the tubers.
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Q: Should I trim my sweet potato vines?
A: The vines of sweet potatoes tend to ramble far and wide, which is why many home gardeners don’t raise them. If vines are wandering out of bounds, try turning them back into the vegetable garden. It’s best not to trim vines; they help feed the potatoes.
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Q: Is wild potato vine poisonous?
A: Let’s keep it simple, and since you’re already familiar with the sweet potato (I. batatas), let’s look at the “wild potato vine†which is also called “man of the earth†(I. pandurata). Although the vine, leaves and flowers of this one generally aren’t considered edible, the large tuberous root is completely edible.
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Q: Are potato vines toxic to dogs?
A: Sweet potato vine plants are safe for dogs and puppies to eat as long as they don’t ingest any seeds. The seeds can be toxic if enough are eaten. Eating seed may cause hallucinations, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, or mouth dryness.
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Q: Do potato vines smell?
A: Potato vine is a vine that is grown as an ornamental for its star-shaped flowers. The flowers emit a sweet scent that attracts birds but drives away deer.
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Q: Can potato vine grow in pots?
A: Plant them when the soil and air temperatures are warm and any danger of frost is well past. Sweet potato vines are ideal for containers because they can adapt to varying levels of light. They will thrive on a shady porch as well as on a sunny balcony. If the plant begins to droop, give it plenty of water.
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Q: Is potato vine fast growing?
A: Potato Vine, botanically known as Solanum jasminoides or Solanum laxum, is a fast growing and easy to care for evergreen vine. If the clusters of white flowers look familiar that’s because this plant is in the Nightshade family alongside potatoes and tomatoes.
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Q: Is potato vine toxic to cats?
A: Sweet potato vine contains the toxic principle LSD that may cause poisoning symptoms in cats such as diarrhea and hallucinations, according to the ASPCA. If your cat has been chewing on sweet potato vines, contact your veterinarian or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
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Q: What if my dog eats a sweet potato vine?
A: Treatment of Sweet Potato Vine Poisoning in Dogs If your dog is suspected of ingesting sweet potato vine, the veterinarian may induce vomiting as soon as you bring your pet in. Hydrogen peroxide solution will be used to flush the stomach, encouraging your dog to vomit.
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Q: Does potato vine spread?
A: It spreads to 4 feet. This fun variety shows off heart-shaped foliage in a bright shade of chartreuse-green. It spreads 4 feet wide. Floramia Rosso sweet potato vine is a unique variety that features heart-shaped leaves in shades of bronze, rose, and brown.
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Q: Are potato vines poisonous to dogs?
A: Sweet potato vine plants are safe for dogs and puppies to eat as long as they don’t ingest any seeds. The seeds can be toxic if enough are eaten. Eating seed may cause hallucinations, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, or mouth dryness.
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Q: What should not be planted near potato?
A: Apple, peach, and cherry trees. Fruit trees like peach, apple, and cherry often attract blight, a disease that can decimate a potato crop. … Cucumbers. … Eggplants. … Pumpkins. … Fennel. … Raspberries. … Root vegetables. … Tomatoes.
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Q: How big does a potato vine get?
A: Botanical NameIpomoea batatasFamilyConvolvulaceaePlant TypeHerbaceous perennialMature Size8–10 ft. long, 5–12 in. wideSun ExposureFull sun
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Q: Should you cut back potato vine?
A: Pruning potato vines can help the potatoes mature earlier, before they attain their full size. Pruning potato vines and then leaving them in the soil for at least two weeks, post pruning, will help them develop a thick, protective skin.
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Q: Will potato vine survive winter?
A: To overwinter the tubers, cut the vines to ground level, then dig them up before the first frost in autumn. Dig carefully and be careful not to slice into the tubers. Brush the soil lightly off the tubers, then store them, not touching, in a cardboard box filled with peat moss, sand, or vermiculite.
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