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Sweet Potato

Ipomoea batatas

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in persistent in fields after cultivation, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Louisiana. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 59%

Height
6–10 feet
Spread
8–10 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

At a glance

Life cycle
Annual

Not yet recorded · Leaves · Bloom

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 8 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

50CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · Ipomoea

  • Agrius cingulataPink-Spotted Hawkmoth, Sweet Potatoe Caterpillar
  • Agrotis gladiariaSwordsman Dart, Clay-Backed Cut-Worm
  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Amyna strictaEight-Spot Moth
  • Anomis flavaTropical Anomis Moth
  • Argyrotaenia ivanaIvana Leafroller Moth
  • Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
  • Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
  • Elaphria chalcedoniaChalcedony Midget
  • Elophila obliteralisWaterlily Leafcutter Moth
Show all 50
  • Emmelina monodactylaMorning-Glory Plume Moth
  • Eublemma rectaStraight-Lined Seed Moth
  • Euptoieta claudiaVariegated Fritillary, (?)Gulf Fritillary
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Feltia herilisMaster's Dart
  • Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
  • Feltia repletaReplete Dart
  • Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
  • Hahncappsia mancalisCommon Hahncappsia
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Herpetogramma fluctuosalisGreater Sweetpotato Webworm
  • Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Hydriris ornatalisOrnate Hydriris
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Lascoria ambigualisAmbiguous Moth, Ambiguous Litter Moth
  • Lygropia tripunctataSweet Potato Leaf Roller
  • Marimatha nigrofimbriaBlack-Bordered Lemon
  • Marimatha tripunctaThree-Spotted Lemon
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Metaponpneumata rogenhoferiMetaponpneumata Moth, Rogenhofer's Sallow
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Ostrinia obumbratalisSmartweed Borer
  • Papilio troilusSpicebush Swallowtail
  • Patania silicalisHerbivorous Patania, Herbivorous Pleuroptya
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera dolichosSweetpotato Armyworm, Dolichos Armyworm, Large Cotton Armyworm
  • Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera latifasciaOrange-Striped Armyworm, Velvet Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
  • Spragueia damaSouthern Spragueia
  • Udea rubigalisCelery Leaftier
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Cosmopterix astrapias
  • Cosmopterix gemmiferella
  • Microthyris anormalis
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
3Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Ipomoea

  • Melitoma grisella
  • Melitoma marginella
  • Melitoma taurea
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
2BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Ipomoea

  • Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
  • Cyrtonyx montezumaeMontezuma Quail
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Convolvulaceae
Hardiness
Zones 9a–11b
Flower color
Pink

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Sweetpotato

Conservation status

Louisiana rankSNA
Global rankG5
LA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources