Sweet potatoes are large, sweet-tasting, starchy, tuberous roots that are eaten as a vegetable. Flesh of the sweet potato is mainly starch, some protein, and vitamins A and C; flesh can be yellow, orange, or purple. Leaves are edible, and rich in protein and vitamins.

Sweet potatoes are warm-weather vegetables that require a long frost-free growing season. They are perennial vines with heart-shaped leaves, sometimes grown as ivy, and ground cover, and adaptable to container-growing and hanging baskets. Flowers are of medium size.

Sweet potatoes should be planted when there is no chance for frost. Propagation is from slips, which are produced from roots, and from cuttings. Sweet potatoes require at least one inch of uniform watering per week, which should water soil to six inches deep. Allowing roots to dry out and then watering causes cracking of sweet potatoes. Watering in the morning reduces the chance of diseases. Disease and insects are not usually problems and can be limited by crop rotation. Sweet potatoes are usually ready for harvest in 120 days. Care must be taken not to damage or bruise fragile skins.