Gardening Interview Question:

I've noticed that the ‘Marguerite' and ‘Blackie' cultivars of sweet potato vines are readily available in the trade. Are the swollen underground roots of these cultivars edible like a “normal” sweet potato? Can you propagate the sweet potato from these roots?

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Unlike their agricultural counterparts, Ipomoea batatas ‘Marguerite' and ‘Blackie' are bred for ornamental properties rather than edible roots. ‘Marguerite' is grown for its broad, heart-shaped, chartreuse foliage on trailing vines, and ‘Blackie' is becoming a favorite in the garden for its dark purple, deeply lobed foliage that makes a great companion for plants with brightly colored flowers or foliage.

According to Janet Bohac at the USDA's Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina, ‘Marguerite' seldom produces a “usable” edible root and ‘Blackie' almost never does. If, by chance, such a root is produced, there is no reason it could not be eaten.

Bohac adds that while it is possible to propagate these varieties from slips produced by their roots, propagation from cuttings is much easier.
Submitted by: Administrator