Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Southern Africa
Central America, South America
Types
Perennial
Vine, Flowering plant
Number of Varieties
505
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
All sorts of environments, Along Railroads, Banks, Moist Ditches, Roadsides, rocky banks of streams
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1010-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm15.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Purple, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Purple, Dark Green, Black
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Acicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Tuber propagation
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Beetles, Cutworms, Insects, Mites, Whiteflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
Abdominal pain, allergic reaction, Nausea, Skin rash, Twitching of face
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cures constipation, Fiber, Low calories, lowering blood pressure, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves, Root, Shoots, Stem, Tuber
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Starch, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Vine
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
IPOMOEA batatas 'Blackie'
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Blackie Sweet Potato Vine, Sweet Potato Vine
In Hindi
African Iris
शकरकन्द
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Süßkartoffel
In French
African Iris
Patate douce
In Spanish
Iris africano
Ipomoea batatas
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Sweet potato
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Batata-doce
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Wilec ziemniaczany
In Latin
African Iris
Ipomoea batatas
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Solanales
Family
Iridaceae
Convolvulaceae
Genus
Dietes
Ipomoea
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
300500
1
27800
👆🏻