Practical
Plants

Ipomoea pandurata

Wild Potato Vine

a perennial woody member of the Ipomoea genus in the family Convolvulaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Ipomoea
Life cycle
perennial
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
3.5 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

There is a report that the root could be poisonous[9].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - cooked[13]. The young ones are best[12], they become very acrid as they get old[10]. The roots can be up to 75cm long and 12cm in diameter[10][3] and can weigh 7 kilos[3]. Roots weighing 10 kilos or more are not unknown[9]. They are best if given a long roasting[14]. Roasted roots taste like sweet potato but with some bitterness[3].

Plant part
Root

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A poultice of the root is applied to aching joints in the treatment of rheumatism[6][7]. A tea made from the dried root is diuretic, expectorant and laxative[10][6][7]. It has been used in the treatment of strangury and calculus diseases, abdominal pains etc[7]. It also slightly influences the lungs, liver and kidneys without excessive diuresis or catharsis[10][7]. Caution should be employed because the plant can be strongly laxative[4].

Product or use
Cathartic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Expectorant

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An infusion of the plant has been used for soaking sweet potatoes in order to keep away bugs and moles[7].

Product or use
Repellent

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Connecticut to Florida, west to Texas, Kansas and Michigan.
Habitat
Fields, hedgerows and roadsides in dry open or partially shaded areas[11][12].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water, or scarify the seed, and sow in individual pots in a greenhouse in early spring. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 weeks at 22°c. Plants are extremely resentful of root disturbance, even when they are quite small, and should be potted up almost as soon as they germinate[5]. Grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter then plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of side shoots in a peaty soil. Layering.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a rich well-drained loam in a warm sunny position[2]. The hardiest member of the genus, it tolerates frozen soil and should survive winter temperatures down to at least -10°c[8]. A climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around the branches of other plants[5]. A very ornamental plant[1]. This species has become a troublesome weed in many warm countries and is difficult to eradicate because of its deep root[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩

  3. Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  5. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2

  7. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  8. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

    ↩

  9. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

    ↩1↩2

  10. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  12. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2

  13. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩

  14. Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3

    ↩

Edit this page