Life Span
Perennial
  
Annual and Perennial
  
Type
Shrub
  
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
  
Central America, South America
  
Types
Orange, Dark Red (Ratan aboli), Yellow, Delhi Crossandra , Arka Ambara, Arka Kanaka (IIHR varieties)
  
Vine, Flowering plant
  
Habitat
Screen Cottage and Informal Garden, Urban areas, Wild
  
All sorts of environments, Along Railroads, Banks, Moist Ditches, Roadsides, rocky banks of streams
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
  
10-13
  
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
  
12-1
  
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
  
21,22
  
Habit
Upright/Erect
  
Vining/Climbing
  
Plant Size
  
  
Minimum Width
Not Available
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Orange, Orange Red
  
Purple, Rose
  
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
  
Purple, Dark Green, Black
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
  
Several shades of Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
  
Light Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Ovate
  
Acicular
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Medium
  
Very Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
  
Repeat Bloomer
Yes
  
No
  
Tolerances
Not Available
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
  
Container, Ground
  
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
  
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Tuber propagation
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Water daily during growing season
  
Keep the Soil well drained, Needs very little water
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Soil Type
Loam
  
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
  
Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
Yes
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Medium
  
Coarse
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
No
  
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
  
Aphids, Beetles, Cutworms, Insects, Mites, Whiteflies
  
Allergy
Not Available
  
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, Nausea, Skin rash, Twitching of face
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
  
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
No
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Agroforestry
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Aphrodisiac, Bronchitis, Cough, Liver problems, Menstrual Disorders
  
Cures constipation, Fiber, Low calories, lowering blood pressure, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
  
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
  
Leaves, Root, Shoots, Stem, Tuber
  
Other Uses
Basketary, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
  
Starch, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
  
Sometimes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Hedges, Tropical
  
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Vine
  
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
  
IPOMOEA batatas 'Blackie'
  
Common Name
Crossandra, firecracker flower
  
Blackie Sweet Potato Vine, Sweet Potato Vine
  
In Hindi
Crossandra
  
शकरकन्द
  
In German
Crossandra
  
Süßkartoffel
  
In French
Crossandra
  
Patate douce
  
In Spanish
Crossandra
  
Ipomoea batatas
  
In Greek
Crossandra
  
Sweet potato
  
In Portuguese
Crossandra
  
Batata-doce
  
In Polish
Crossandra
  
Wilec ziemniaczany
  
In Latin
Crossandra
  
Ipomoea batatas
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Tracheophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Scrophulariales
  
Solanales
  
Family
Acanthaceae
  
Convolvulaceae
  
Genus
Crossandra
  
Ipomoea
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Season and Care of Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine
Season and care of Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine is important to know. While considering everything about Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine Care, growing season is an essential factor. Crossandra season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Sweet Potato Vine season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Crossandra is Loam and for Sweet Potato Vine is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Crossandra is Acidic, Neutral and for Sweet Potato Vine is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.
Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine Physical Information
Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine physical information is very important for comparison. Crossandra height is 40.60 cm and width 25.40 cm whereas Sweet Potato Vine height is 15.00 cm and width Not Available. The color specification of Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine are as follows:
Crossandra flower color: Orange and Orange Red
Crossandra leaf color: Green and Dark Green
Sweet Potato Vine flower color: Purple and Rose
- Sweet Potato Vine leaf color: Purple, Dark Green and Black
Care of Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine
Care of Crossandra and Sweet Potato Vine include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Crossandra pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers and Remove dead leaves and Sweet Potato Vine pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer Crossandra needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Sweet Potato Vine needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.