Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Sweet Potato Vine Marguerite
Sweet Potato Vine Marguerite is a trailing foliage plant with bright chartreuse, lime-green leaves. It grows fast, staying low while its runners spread several feet, so it spills over pots and hanging baskets or covers ground in a bed. It likes the summer heat, with regular water and a little afternoon shade in the Valley. Plant it in spring once nights stay warm.
Best for: patio pots and hanging baskets, summer groundcover in shaded beds, and bright green contrast next to dark leaves.
Its runners trail over the rim of patio pots and hanging baskets. Use a pot at least 6 inches deep, with a drainage hole, and water it regularly in summer.
In a bed with some afternoon shade, it spreads 2 to 6 feet and grows fast. Trim the runners if they wander into other plants.
The chartreuse leaves stand out beside purple and dark green foliage. In deep shade the color fades, so give it some direct sun.
Freezing nights kill the leaves back. Full western afternoon sun in summer scorches it. Highly alkaline desert soil needs amending before you plant.
- Bed or border12 in apart
- Looser groundcover18 in apart
Give it regular water through the summer and keep the soil evenly moist. Water about once a week, and more often during hot spells, without letting it sit soggy.
In the low desert it grows in full sun but does best with a little afternoon shade. Keep it out of full western afternoon sun in summer, which scorches the leaves.
It is very frost sensitive, and freezing nights kill the leaves back. Cover it on frost nights if you want to carry it through a Valley winter.
Trim the runners lightly through the season to keep it in bounds. A water-soluble plant food once a month keeps it growing strongly.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Marguerite sweet potato vine get?
It stays about 10 to 18 inches tall while its runners spread 2 to 6 feet. Give it room to trail, or trim it to keep it in bounds.
Can sweet potato vine take full sun in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun, but in the low desert it does best with a little afternoon shade. Keep it out of hot western afternoon sun in summer.
How often should I water sweet potato vine?
Keep the soil evenly moist, watering about once a week and more often in hot spells. Do not let it sit soggy or dry out.
Does sweet potato vine survive winter in Phoenix?
It is very frost sensitive, and freezing nights kill the leaves back. In the low desert it can make it through winter if you cover it on frost nights.
When should I plant sweet potato vine?
Plant it in spring once nighttime temperatures stay above about 50°F. It grows fastest in warm weather.
Does Marguerite sweet potato vine flower?
Marguerite rarely flowers in a home garden. It is grown for its leaves, and any flowers are small and easy to miss.
Can I grow sweet potato vine in a pot?
Yes. It is a trailing plant that suits pots and hanging baskets. Use a container at least 6 inches deep with a drainage hole.
How do I keep sweet potato vine from taking over?
Trim the runners lightly through the growing season. Shape it whenever the runners reach past where you want them.
What soil does sweet potato vine need?
It wants fertile, well-drained soil that stays evenly moist. Highly alkaline desert soil needs sulfur or another acid-forming amendment before planting.
Sweet Potato Vine Marguerite for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Sweet Potato Vine Marguerite is grown for its chartreuse leaves and fast trailing runners. It is a warm-season plant that loves heat but needs regular water in the Valley. Below you will find its size, sun and water needs, frost care, soil and container tips.
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Growing sweet potato vine in Phoenix
Sweet potato vine loves the heat but needs regular water and a little afternoon shade in the low desert. Keep it out of hot west sun, and amend alkaline soil before planting.
How big does Marguerite sweet potato vine get?
It stays about 10 to 18 inches tall, and its runners spread 2 to 6 feet. It grows fast, so it fills a pot or bed within one season.
Watering sweet potato vine in the Arizona summer
Keep the soil evenly moist, about once a week and more often in hot spells. Do not let the soil sit soggy or dry out.
Is sweet potato vine frost hardy?
No. It is very frost sensitive, and freezing nights kill the leaves back. Cover it on frost nights if you want to keep it through a Valley winter.
Sweet potato vine in pots and hanging baskets
Its trailing runners spill over the edge of containers. Use a pot at least 6 inches deep, and feed it with a water-soluble plant food once a month.
Marguerite vs Purple Heart sweet potato vine
Marguerite has bright chartreuse leaves and spreads wide. Purple Heart has dark purple, heart-shaped leaves and a more compact habit. Both need the same care.
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