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Potato (Sweet), Variegated
Grannyvine
Ipomoea tricolor
Ipomoea batatas ‘Tricolor’, commonly known as Tricolor Sweet Potato Vine, is a vibrant ornamental groundcover prized for its variegated foliage of green, creamy white, and soft pink. Compared to more aggressive cultivars like 'Blackie' or 'Marguerite', ‘Tricolor’ has a more refined, compact growth habit, making it especially well-suited for smaller containers, hanging baskets, and mixed seasonal beds where a splash of color is desired without overwhelming neighboring plants.
This cultivar performs best in part shade to filtered sun, where its variegation remains crisp and the pink tones are most vivid. In full, intense Texas sun, the white areas may scorch, and the pink may fade, so some afternoon shade is beneficial in Central Texas. Tricolor prefers well-draining, fertile soil and requires consistent moisture to avoid leaf stress. It's less vigorous than other sweet potato vines and may need closer spacing—about 10 to 14 inches apart for groundcover use or 1 plant per small container.
While primarily grown for its ornamental foliage, ‘Tricolor’ can occasionally produce small, trumpet-shaped lavender blooms in late summer or fall, though this is uncommon in heavily pruned or fertilized settings. In Central Texas, it is treated as a warm-season annual, as it is frost-sensitive and dies back in cold weather. It may regrow from tubers in USDA Zone 9 and warmer, but most gardeners replant annually.
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Delicate tri-color foliage |
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Shade groundcover |
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Low vigor & High charm |
Flower Color:Blue-Purple
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Height:6-12 Inches
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Spread:20-30 Feet
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Spacing:10-14 in
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Interesting Notes
Seeds are poisonous
USDA Hardiness Zone 10b
Available Sizes:
| Item |
Description |
| POT-VAR-BSK |
BASKET POTATO (SWEET), VARIEGATED |
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Characteristics & Attributes
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Deer Tolerance
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Exposure
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Part Shade to Full Shade |
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Habit
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Soil pH Preference
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Water Needs
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Tolerates Poor Drainage
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