The sweet potato is native to the tropical regions of South America in what is present-day Ecuador. [6] [7] Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of Convolvulaceae, I. batatas is the only crop plant of major importance—some others are used locally (e.g., I. aquatica "kangkong" as a green vegetable), but many are poisonous.

Jan 17, 2025 · Sweet potato, food plant of the morning glory family (Convolvulaceae), native to tropical America. The fleshy roots are served as a cooked vegetable, in whole or mashed form, and are used as pie filling.

Sweet potato is thought to have originated in Central America or northwestern South America. Remains of sweet potato tubers, dating to about 8,080 BC, have been found in a cave in Peru. Sweet potato is now widely cultivated in tropical regions and temperate regions with hot summers.

Sweet Potato is a fast-growing vine that produces edible, nutritious tubers in about 2 months in the tropics or 3-4 months in subtropical or temperate climates. The leaves and shoots are also nutritious and often stir-fried or added to salads. Perennial vine with a creeping habit.

Distribution and Native Range I. batas is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. It is believed that sweet potatoes were domesticated as early as 8000-6000 BCE in the Peruvian highlands ( Silverman and Isbell, 2008 ).

Its flesh ranges between white, yellow, orange, and purple. Sweet potatoes are native to the tropical Americas and were first cultivated there at least 5,000 years ago. They spread very early throughout the region, including the Caribbean and what is now the southeastern United States.

Sep 8, 2024 · Origin: Sweet potato is native to tropical America. Although its exact origin is unclear, it is believed that sweet potato is native to northwestern South America, from northern Peru and southern Ecuador.

Sweet potato originated in the tropical Americas and was grown extensively throughout the continent well before the arrival of the Europeans. It was then introduced to Europe, Africa, and Asia and is now one of the major root crops in the developing world where over 90% of the production is found.

Oct 26, 2020 · The most common indigenous names for the sweet potato tuber in Central and South America include batata, boniato, camote, batata doce, and apichu. From Peru, Hawaii, and Samoa to the Philippines, sweet potato is known by a broad range of cognates: kumar, uala, umala, and kamote, respectively.

Today, sweetpotato is cultivated in over 100 countries worldwide. The largest areas planted are found in China, Nigeria and Tanzania. Common names include sweetpotato in English, patate douce in French, shakarkand in Hindi, batata and camote in Spanish and hóngshǔ or fānshǔ in Mandarin Chinese.