- Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)
- Mature Height 6 - 10 Inches
- Mature Spread 2 - 3 Feet
- Growing Zones 11
- Use As A Spiller In Containers
The Proven Accents® line of summer annuals offers a wide range of container plants that are both easy to grow and unique. Penny Lace Sweet Potato Vine is a cultivar of the vigorous and low-maintenance Ipomea batatas with finely dissected foliage in a deep chocolate color. This trailing Sweet Potato Vine will mix and mingle well with just about any other container plant while retaining its ability to resist high heat and humidity.
Proven Accents® Illusion® Penny Lace is a great filler or spiller plant for your deck or patio planters, hanging baskets, or window boxes. Sweet Potato Vine is often considered a hot-season annual when it is really a tropical perennial tuber that is cold hardy in USDA zone 11. Use this vine as a quick ground cover on a sunny slope or as a temporary filler in a garden bed to suppress weeds and act as a living mulch. The leaf color and shape of Penny Lace will add an unexpected drama to traditional combinations of Petunias, Calibrachoa, and Alyssum. Try pairing the deep chocolate color with bright acid green or yellow tones for a modern color combination that stays fresh all summer.
Proven Accents® Illusion® Penny Lace Sweet Potato Vine Care
All Sweet Potato Vines require excellent drainage, whether planted in a container or the ground. An all-purpose potting mix with coco coir or perlite added will be lightweight and free draining. Add organic compost to the soil when planting in the garden to lighten heavy soil or make sandy soil more moisture retentive. Penny Lace will best retain its deep coloring in a sunny location with at least 6 hours of full sun. A shadier spot will make the plant produce leaves with a greenish cast. Fertilizing is unnecessary for Sweet Potato Vines, although they may be planted with other plants requiring regular fertilizing. Feed the containers once every two weeks with a diluted liquid fertilizer such as fish or seaweed emulsion. Penny Lace is a vigorous grower and may need cutting back to keep the overall shape of a hanging basket or planter in scale with the other plants. Cutting the stems back to just above a set of leaf nodes will keep the plant tidy without revealing any naked stems.
Sweet Potato vines can be treated as houseplants for overwintering outside their hardiness zones. Bring the plant indoors when the nighttime temperatures fall to 55 degrees F and place the pot in a full sun location. A south-facing window is ideal. Grow lights can also be used to provide supplemental lighting. Alternatively, Sweet Potato Vine is a tuber that can be easily overwintered in a frost-free garage or basement. Cut the top growth back to 4-6 inches above the soil and place it in a dark spot that does not get below 50 degrees F in the winter. Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. When the warm, late spring weather arrives, bring the container out to a semi-shaded spot and resume regular watering as the new shoots emerge.
Proven Accents® Illusion® Penny Lace Sweet Potato Vine Spacing
The natural growth habit of the Sweet Potato Vine is slightly mounded and vigorously trailing. Penny Lace will have a maximum height of 10-12 inches with a spread of 3 feet or more. In the garden, space each plant 18-24 inches apart to provide quick and thick ground cover. Allow plenty of space in a container or hanging basket for the root system to form normally. Place up to three plants in a 12-inch diameter container.
Proven Accents® Illusion® Penny Lace Sweet Potato Vine Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 11a, 11b |
Plant Type: Annual |
Light Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun (At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 6 - 10 Inches |
Mature Spread: 2 - 3 Feet |
Spacing: 18 - 24 Inches |
Habit: Trailing |
Flower Color(s): None |
Flower Description: Grown for Foliage |
Bloom Period: |
Foliage Type: Herbaceous |
Foliage Color(s): Red, Purple |
Foliage Description: Copper Red |
Seasonal Interest: Spring Flowering, Summer Flowering |
Watering: Average |
Resists: N/A |
Tolerates: Heat |
Attracts: N/A |
Container Role: Spiller |
Uses: Containers, Groundcovers, Mass Planting |
Features: Deadheading Not Necessary, Foliage Interest, Low Maintenance |
Brand: Proven Winners |
Common Name: Proven Accents® Illusion® Penny Lace Sweet Potato Vine |
Other Name(s): |
Scientific Name: Ipomoea batatas |
- SKU:
- IPOPLP
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
For more detailed information, please click here.
Plant Addicts Guarantee (Included On All Plant Orders)
Plant Addicts always guarantees your plant(s) will arrive happy & healthy. However, plant(s) are being shipped through the mail & sometimes accidents happen. If the plant is dead, has dried out roots or the incorrect item was shipped, just notify Plant Addicts within 3 days upon delivery. We may ask for pictures but will try to make it as easy as possible for you. Please note, plant(s) with damaged branches or wilted leaves will not qualify for this guarantee. Plants are very resilient and will rebound quickly when cared for correctly.
For more information on how to care for your new plants, please click on our guide below.
Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)
Plant Addicts Warranty - 1 Year (Extra Purchase Required)
We encourage all plant lovers to purchase the Plant Addicts Warranty, whether you're a new gardener or an expert. There are many variables outside of anyone's control that can cause a plant to die. Hungry animals, drought, poor soil conditions, over watering, diseases & pests are all good examples of what can cause plants to die. The Plant Addicts Warranty is a 1 year warranty protecting you from all of the unknowns and will replace your plant if something were to happen to it.
The warranty is purchased on a per plant basis and must be purchased at the same time as the plant(s). We will cover 100% of the price of the plant, but the warranty does not cover shipping costs. SImply let us know if your plant has died within 1 year of receiving it and we will get you a new one shipped out as soon as possible (depending on the time of the year and availability). We may ask for photos for documentation purposes, but we try to make the process as easy as possible.
For more information, please click on our page below.
Plant Shipping
Below are some factors we consider when determining when to ship the plants depending on the timing of the order.
Winter to Early Spring
We ship only when it's warm enough to plant in your growing zone.
Sometimes plants aren't completely ready to sell and ship in early spring. We will wait until the plants are ready before shipping so you don't get a subpar product.
For Southern plants we will be able to ship much earlier than plants coming from our northern nursery.
Summer
If there is extreme heat we may delay shipping for a week or several weeks.
We review what areas the plants are traveling through as well as your location.
Fall into Winter
We’ll ship plants out all the way up to the end of the fall planting season!
Winter
Get your order in early to reserve your plants for Spring planting!
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an automated email with tracking information.
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Planter Shipping
Standard Colors: 2-3 business days
Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations