Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
holly_on

Sweet Potato Vine

Holly_ON
9 years ago

Watched a video mentioning this in a pond. Grew it beside a pondless waterfall last year and it took over. Developed huge roots. Considering trying it in my "real" pond this year. Has anyone here had experience bare rooting it in their pond?

Comments (6)

  • sleeplessinftwayne
    9 years ago

    Holly, if the pond has fish, I wouldn't use it. Most parts of Sweet Potato vines are poisonous. Probably the fish would leave it alone since it is extremely bitter but they might try it.

  • chas045
    9 years ago

    sleepless; I believe that you must be mistaken. I have had spv in my stream several times, and on two of those years, it was growing over or near the waterfall that drops into my pond. My goldfish would practically jump out of the water eating the leaves whenever enough spv got close to the surface. It didn't seem to do them any harm.

    Yes, Holly, it will bare root in a pond. You can also start it in the window in a glass of water. I am in zone 7 that freezes and any freezing will kill it. I kept some alive inside one year, but usually I have failed.

  • sleeplessinftwayne
    9 years ago

    Chas, it depends on the variety. Also, they might have been tearing off leaves without consuming them. My koi do a lot of damage to the poisonous leaves of taro and don't get sick but they don't swallow it.

  • steiconi
    9 years ago

    thank you for this post! I googled sweet potato vine to learn more about it, and realized that the invasive plant I've been calling "morning glory relative" is probably escaped sweet potatoes! It's suddenly gone from weed to food crop.

  • lezro
    9 years ago

    Mine was in garden dirt next to the pond. It bare rooted in the pond just fine and was sucking up all the water (9'x11' pond would lose about 2" a day) until I removed it. It looked gorgeous, tho. I don't know if the fish ate it; they liked to hide in it which is fine. I would worry about putting it in a real pond intentionally, as it might damage the liner if it gets to it; the stuff is vigorous. However I might try one in a pot this spring when I don't have enough plants yet.

  • diggery
    9 years ago

    I've been using spv in and around my puddle for many years. It is vigorous but I don't consider it invasive. I sprig my skippy with it every year as wc doesn't do well here in the heat of the summer and my skippy is camouflaged in no time. The various shades of chartreuse and purple provide a lovely, lush backdrop. If it heads off in a direction I consider off-limits I just pinch it off and easily pull it out.

    I also use it as ground cover on the opposite end of the house where my shade garden transitions into full sun. The year the water lilies in my fish pond mysteriously disappeared (don't ask) I pulled out handfuls & just tossed it the fish pond for additional shade/cover until my replacement lilies lifted their heads.

    Never had a problem with it leaching water even though the spv in the ground trails over into the pond in several places. No big roots either, in either location. Color me skeptical on that one.

Sponsored
Art Masonry Inc.
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars132 Reviews
Loudon County's Hardscape and Landscape Expert in Outdoor Living