Black Sweet Potato Vine | Live Ornamental Starter Plants

Black ornamental sweet potato vine brings deep, near-black foliage and trailing growth to hanging baskets, patio containers, window boxes, and garden borders. Its deeply lobed leaves create a dramatic contrast with bright flowers and chartreuse foliage. Let the stems spill over a pot's edge or spread through a warm-season planting for a rich carpet of color.

Choose your pack

• 3 PLANT: the 3-plant option.
• 12 VINES: the 12-vine option.

One cart quantity purchases one selected pack. This listing is for live ornamental planting material, not seeds or harvested sweet potatoes. The starter-plant listing specifies a 2.5-inch pot; the 12-vine option does not specify individual pots, so do not assume that it contains 12 individually potted plants.

Plant details

• Plant: ornamental sweet potato vine, Ipomoea batatas, sold as ‘Black’.
• Foliage: dark purple to near-black, deeply lobed leaves; color varies with light and growing conditions.
• Habit: vigorous, trailing and spreading growth in warm weather.
• Uses: hanging baskets, mixed containers, window boxes, borders, and seasonal ground cover.
• Light: full sun to partial sun.
• Climate: frost-tender perennial, commonly grown as a warm-season annual.

Unpacking and acclimation

Unpack promptly and check the moisture around the roots. Water if needed, letting excess water drain. Allow plants to recover in bright, sheltered light before gradually increasing exposure to outdoor sun and wind over several days.

Plant outdoors only after frost danger has passed and conditions have warmed. Protect tender growth from cold nights and avoid placing newly arrived plants immediately into intense afternoon sun.

Planting in beds

Choose fertile, well-drained soil and a location with room for spreading stems. For rooted starters, plant at the same depth as the root ball rather than burying the crown deeply. Water thoroughly after planting.

Space approximately 12–18 inches apart for ground-cover use, allowing additional room where vigorous growth is expected. Guide stems away from neighboring plants if they begin to crowd them.

Container and hanging-basket care

Use a container with drainage holes and a well-drained potting mix. A 10–12-inch basket can accommodate a single starter initially, but vigorous plants may need more space as they grow. In mixed containers, allow room for both the vine and its companions.

Water when the upper layer of potting mix begins to dry, moistening the root zone thoroughly and allowing drainage. Hanging baskets can dry quickly in hot or windy weather. Avoid both prolonged drought and standing water; drought tolerance after establishment does not mean that regular watering is unnecessary.

Light, feeding, and pruning

Provide several hours of sun daily for strong growth and rich foliage color. Some afternoon shade can help in especially hot locations, particularly while plants establish.

Feed container plants according to the potting mix and fertilizer label directions. Pinch or trim stems as needed to encourage branching and keep the display within bounds. Remove damaged foliage and check regularly for chewing insects and other pests.

Cold-weather care

Grow as a seasonal annual where winters are cold. In warm climates, often USDA zones 9–11, plants may persist, but frost exposure, drainage, and local conditions affect survival. Do not assume winter hardiness throughout an entire zone.

If overwintering indoors, bring a suitable container inside before frost and provide bright light and reduced watering as growth slows. Check for pests before moving plants indoors.

Ornamental use and safety

This selection is grown for decorative foliage, not food production. Do not assume nursery-grown leaves or tubers are suitable for eating, since growing treatments may differ from food crops. Keep seeds, if produced, away from children and pets, and prevent pets from chewing the plant. Wear gloves if sap irritates your skin.