Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato Slips – Violet Flesh, Creamy & Sweet, Antioxidant-Rich

Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato – Also Known as Hawaiian Sweet Potato (Uala)

The Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato is one of the most visually stunning and nutritionally impressive root vegetables you can grow. Originally from Japan and beloved in Hawaiian cuisine, it features a buff-colored, earthy skin that opens to reveal vibrant violet-purple flesh — which deepens to a rich blue-purple when cooked. The flavor is delicate and lightly sweet with a creamy, starchy texture that pairs beautifully with both savory and sweet preparations.

Often confused with the Murasaki Japanese sweet potato (which has purple skin and white flesh), the Okinawan variety is distinguished by its striking purple interior. It's the star of Hawaiian desserts like Purple Sweet Potato and Haupia Pie, and equally at home in savory dishes across Japanese and Pacific cuisines.

Plant Details

• Type: Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) — live rooted slips
• Flesh: Vibrant violet-purple, deepening to blue-purple when cooked
• Skin: Buff-colored with earthy tones
• Flavor: Delicate, slightly sweet, creamy and starchy
• Best Use: Baked, boiled, roasted, fried, grilled, pies, desserts, soups, fries
• These are live rooted slips, ready to plant — not seeds or tubers

Health Benefits

• Rich in anthocyanins (the antioxidant pigments that create the purple color)
• Good source of fiber and potassium
• Low glycemic index — ideal for weight management and blood sugar control
• Studies have shown significant antibacterial and antifungal properties

Planting Instructions

• Choose a full sun location with loose, well-drained soil.
• Using a small trowel, dig a hole 4–5" deep and 3" wide.
• Place one slip per hole with roots pointing down; the bottom half should be covered with soil, the top half (with new leaves) above ground.
• Gently fill the hole and press lightly to eliminate air pockets. Handle carefully — sweet potato slips don't like to be bruised.
• Space slips 12–18" apart in rows 3–4 feet apart.
• Water well after planting; keep consistently moist until established.

Care & Harvesting

• Sweet potatoes love heat — plant after all frost danger has passed and soil is warm.
• Harvest when vines begin to yellow, typically 90–120 days after planting.
• Dig carefully to avoid bruising the tubers; cure in a warm, humid location for 1–2 weeks before storing.

Select the number of live slips above.