Has anyone seen flowers on Sweet Potato

[Whwoz]

Having not long started growing Sweet potatos Down Under and noting a very limited range from which to select slips and having seen the range available at Sandhill, I got to thinking that the only way to try and get something a bit different would be to cross the existing clones that I can access. For this I need flowers, which I never looked for last season and thought I would ask here if anyone has seen flowers/seedpods or if anyone knows if they only occur under certain conditions.

Thanks if you can help.

Woz

[Rajun Gardener]

I know Beauregard's do flower, I'm not sure of other varieties.

[Worth1]

Sweet potatoes flower under day light darkness situations.
The bloom early in the year and late in the year here in Texas.
Anything over about 11 hours daylight and they wont flower.

[Whwoz]

Humm, could be a problem with days pushing 14 plus hours...

Thanks

Woz

[Whwoz]

Just checked the day lengths for my area and 11 hours occurs around late September when I would be planting slips or April, as I would be nearing harvest. I may need a cloch...temps... may not work.

Woz

[PhilaGardener]

Sweet potatoes bloom in my garden at the end of the season (midAtlantic, USA) - day length and stress are triggers. The blossoms are showy but often hidden below the foliage so you have to poke around a bit to find them:





They set fertile seed, although some varieties seem to benefit from/require cross pollination with another. Bees do like the flowers. The offspring are variable in character, as one might expect, but I know folks who are breeding/selecting new varieties. The example above shows buds, flowers and seed capsules on a purple leaved variety grown primarily for its ornamental value (the roots are pretty good too!)- this photo was taken at the very end of a hot, dry August. This variety is self-fertile and I've gotten pretty good germination with seedlings vary from green to purple with a variety of leaf shapes, so there is a lot of genetic diversity in there!

[Whwoz]

Thanks PhilaGardener, most informative and enlighting! We really know so little about them over here, particularly those of us in the southern states of Oz who have been feed the BS that they will not grow down here. I think about 8 lb per plant, which I got off Beauregard, has more than convinced me otherwise, now I just want to get some diversity into what is available out here.

Roughly what time of year do you plant the seeds of this variety to get the flowers at the end of August?
Woz

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Whwoz

Having not long started growing Sweet potatos Down Under and noting a very limited range from which to select slips and having seen the range available at Sandhill, I got to thinking that the only way to try and get something a bit different would be to cross the existing clones that I can access. For this I need flowers, which I never looked for last season and thought I would ask here if anyone has seen flowers/seedpods or if anyone knows if they only occur under certain conditions.

Thanks if you can help.

Woz

Once I saw you post that you knew what Glenn at Sandhill offers as slips, I think it's close to almost 200 varieties,there's nothing more I can add in terms of flowers/seedpods,etc.

Carolyn

[Whwoz]

225 varieties at Sandhill, but no point trying to import Down Under with the seasonal difference. Have not enquired there deliberately at the moment due to Lindas ill health. Glenn has enough on his plate.

Woz

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Whwoz

225 varieties at Sandhill, but no point trying to import Down Under with the seasonal difference. Have not enquired there deliberately at the moment due to Lindas ill health. Glenn has enough on his plate.

Woz

Glenn can't send to where you are anyway. And no longer will ship even to Canada for several reasons.

Yes, Glenn and Linda and I have been very close friends for several decades,and yes,what happened to Linda, and may still be happening, was/is just terrible.

It's my turn to call him ,no sense trying to e-mail him since he doesn't have the passwords to even get into the computer.Right now I don't even know if Linda is home yet,I hope so.

But to me the good news is that he should be about through for the year where he teaches several courses at a local school. I have his e-mail address at the school, but no sense trying to contact him there now.

I was going to post in his thread in the Seed and Plant source Forum about all of this, but decided not to do so, again, for several reasons..

Carolyn

[Worth1]

Just looked depending on where you are in Victoria I am about 600 miles more or less closer to the equator than you are.
I am 2.073 miles.
Melbourne is 2.642.

If you want to breed for seeds it is a simple process of tossing a sun cover over the plants before the 11 hours is up and taking it off the next morning.

[Whwoz]

Was not even considering importing but was going to fire off questions but re-directed here under the circumstances.

Woz

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Glenn can't send to where you are anyway. And no longer will ship even to Canada for several.......ave his e-mail address at the school, but no sense trying to contact him there now.

I was going to post in his thread in the Seed and Plant source Forum about all of this, but decided not to do so, again, for several reasons..

Carolyn

[Whwoz]

We are about 30 miles further south as crow flies, roughly 100 miles east of Melbourne at Trafalgar in Gippsland. It appears we have similar daylight hours/day but we are probably 15 to 20F colder at equivalent time of year. Shall try the sun cover trick and see how I go. Thanks for the info.

Woz

Originally Posted by Worth1

Just looked depending on where you are in Victoria I am about 600 miles more or less closer to the equator than you are.
I am 2.073 miles.
Melbourne is 2.642.

If you want to breed for seeds it is a simple process of tossing a sun cover over the plants before the 11 hours is up and taking it off the next morning.

[Whwoz]

Anyone have any idea how long it takes sweet potato seeds to mature from pollination?

Thanks
Woz

[SpookyShoe]

I grow these in pots for the beautiful foliage. Mine are blooming now. Ipomoea batatas.

Donna, Texas Gulf Coast