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Adding a vertical dimension Upside ornamental sweet potatoes
Adding a vertical dimension
Sweet Caroline Upside ornamental sweet potatoes
There is a real “upside” to two new sweet
potatoes making their debut in 2023. I mean that tongue-in-cheek as that is actually part of their name but their application in the landscape looks to be amazing. Here is the skinny, so to speak: Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime and Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee, two climbing sweet potatoes, will be hot commodities in 2023.
My first thought was, why do we need a climbing sweet potato when they run, cascade, tumble and drape with perfection? Most of all I asked what do we do with them? So, with that thought in mind I gave my trial plants to my son, James. Oh, ye or me with little imagination! The new Sweet Caroline Upside sweet potatoes have scored really high in trials, as in 4.79 out of 5 at Penn State Flower Trials at the Southeast Agricultural Research & Extension Center. In Louisiana they were recognized as Blue Chip Winning plants at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station.
In the Penn State trials the plants developed a shrub-like look, which was pleasant for sure. The LSU application however was *zowie*shazam* as they were allowed to climb what appears to be a steel or iron trellis.
Photo courtesy of LSU Ag Center Research Station, Hammond, LA
Looking like pillars of chartreuse, Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime ornamental sweet potatoes show why they were Blue Chip Award Winners in Louisiana.
Proven Winners suggest a potential height of 72 inches (although they might reach higher in the south) but these plants have the dual-purpose ability to both climb and run.
James planted his mixed together in a container with a copper-colored large tomato cage inverted to resemble a tower. James said he was surprised at the ability the sweet
In this container designed by Eden Estate Management in Columbus, GA an inverted large tomato cage was used to resemble a tower. Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee and Sweet Caroline Key Lime ornamental sweet potatoes were allowed to climb and intermingle.
potatoes had to climb on their own without training. Neat freaks may want to simply move or push a running stem or shoot back into the center of the structure. As the plant outgrows its tower a little snipping can certainly be done if needed.
Proven Winners has several designer recipes for each color. One of my favorites is called Morning Breeze. It features Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime ornamental sweet potato on a small trellis as the thriller, with Truffula Pink gomphrena as a filler and Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Star petunia as a spiller. Toss in the expected butterflies and pollinators and this will be one special container.
Like all ornamental sweet potatoes, the Sweet Caroline Upside varieties like fertile, well-drained soil, and that’s especially true in the landscape. This usually means incorporating 3-4 inches of organic matter into heavier clay soil. A container with potting soil will be like a dream come true for these plants. Plant your Sweet Caroline Upside sweet potato transplants at the same depth they are growing in the container, spacing 18-24 inches apart, using the tallest climbing support structure appropriate for your container or landscape application. Don’t forget about the possibilities with fences, gazebos, pergolas, towers, and, trellises. The potential is 6 feet, and possibly more, with a spread of 36 inches, maybe more if you wish. These really are in the category of easy-to-grow and tough-as-nails. Even at that, plan on giving them water during those hot dry periods. These sweet potatoes grow back quickly if trimming is needed to manage its look in mixed baskets and containers or if it has outgrown its allotted structure or space. 2023 looks to be really exciting with all of the new plants. Using a climber like Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime or Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee will give you a new, vertical dimension in the landscape.
About the author Norman Winter is an author and speaker on horticultural topics.
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Photo courtesy of LSU Ag Center Research Station, Hammond, LA
Photo courtesy of The Penn State Flower Trials at the Southeast Agricultural Research & Extension Center
Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee will also be making its debut. Both Upside varieties are prolific climbers with a 6-ft plus potential.
Penn State developed a shrubby look with Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime ornamental sweet potato. Upside varieties scored 4:75 and 4:79 on a scale of 5.
Proven Winners has developed a series of designer recipes for each Sweet Caroline Upside variety. This one called Morning Breeze features Sweet Caroline Key Lime ornamental sweet potato, Truffula Pink gomphrena and Supertunia Mini Vista Pink Star petunia.
