What To Plant With Sweet Potato Vine

If you’re wondering what to plant with sweet potato vine, you’re in the right place. This vigorous, colorful plant is a superstar in the garden, but choosing the right neighbors makes all the difference. Good companions help your garden thrive, save space, and look fantastic.

Sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) is grown for its stunning foliage, which comes in shades from chartreuse to deep purple. While it can produce edible tubers, most gardeners use it as a spiller in containers or a groundcover in beds. It grows quickly and can spread several feet. The right planting partners will complement its growth without being overwhelmed.

This list focuses on plants that share similar needs: full sun to part shade, and well-draining soil that’s kept consistently moist. These companions also visually contrast or complement the vine’s bold leaves.

Excellent Flowering Companions

Pairing sweet potato vine with flowers creates instant container magic or bed drama. Look for upright plants that provide height and contrast.

Geraniums (Pelargonium): Their rounded flower clusters sit beautifully above the cascading vines. The reds and pinks look great against lime-green or burgundy foliage.
Lantana: A tough, sun-loving plant that attracts butterflies. Its clusters of tiny flowers create a lovely texture mix with the larger sweet potato leaves.
Angelonia: Often called “summer snapdragon,” it adds a spike of color. It’s heat-tolerant and doesn’t mind the vine spreading around its base.
Pentas: These star-shaped flowers are a magnet for pollinators. Their full, mounded shape works well with the vine’s trailing habit.
Cleome (Spider Flower): Adds tall, airy height and a cottage garden feel. It self-seeds easily, so it’s a good partner for the vine’s energetic growth.

Great Foliage Partners

Sometimes, the best combinations are all about the leaves. These plants offer different textures and shades.

Coleus: The ultimate foliage friend. With thousands of varieties, you can match or contrast colors perfectly. They both enjoy similar moisture levels.
Ornamental Grasses: The fine, wispy texture of grasses like fountain grass or blue fescue plays beautifully against the dense, broad leaves of the vine.
Dusty Miller: Its silvery, felt-like foliage is a stunning contrast, especially next to the dark purple ‘Blackie’ sweet potato vine. It helps light up shady corners.
Canna Lily: Offers huge, tropical leaves and bright flowers. The sweet potato vine can fill in the lower area around the canna’s stalks, creating a lush look.

Vegetable Garden Allies

Sweet potato vine can be a helpful friend in your edible plots, too. It’s excellent for suppressing weeds as a living mulch.

Sweet Corn: The vine can sprawl between corn stalks, covering bare soil and helping retain moisture. Just ensure it doesn’t climb the corn.
Peppers & Eggplant: These sun-loving plants benefit from the groundcover effect, which keeps their roots cooler. The vine’s spread can reduce watering needs.
Lettuce & Spinach: In partial shade, the vine can provide a light canopy for cool-season greens, extending their harvest in warmer weather.
Radishes: A quick-growing crop that can be harvested long before the vine fully spreads. It’s a good space-maximizing trick.

Container Recipe Ideas

For pots, use the “thriller, filler, spiller” formula. Sweet potato vine is a classic “spiller.” Here are two simple recipes.

Recipe 1: Sun-Loving Pot

Thriller: 1 Purple Fountain Grass in the center.
Filler: 3 Orange Zest Lantana around the grass.
Spiller: 2 Margarita Sweet Potato Vine around the pot’s edge.

Recipe 2: Shade-Loving Pot

Thriller: 1 Rex Begonia with colorful leaves.
Filler: 3 white Impatiens around the begonia.
Spiller: 2 Blackie Sweet Potato Vine trailing over the side.

Plants to Avoid

Not every plant is a good match. Sweet potato vine’s vigorous growth can cause problems for some.

Small, Delicate Annuals: Plants like lobelia or alyssum can be smothered quickly. They can’t compete with the vine’s fast spread.
Most Herbs: Mediterranean herbs like rosemary, lavender, and thyme prefer dry, gritty soil. Sweet potato vine needs more moisture, creating incompatible conditions.
Shallow-Rooted Shrubs: The vine can become entangled and compete aggressively for water and nutrients near the soil surface.
Other Vigorous Spreaders: Avoid pairing it with mint or some types of bamboo. You’ll create a battle for territory that’s hard to manage.

Planting and Care Tips for Success

Getting the basics right ensures your combinations look good all season. Sweet potato vine is frost-tender, so plant it after the last spring frost. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart from their companions to give everyone room to grow. It prefers at least 6 hours of sun for best color, but tolerates part shade.

Water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist, especially in containers. A layer of mulch in garden beds helps with this. Feed every 4-6 weeks with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer. Don’t over-fertilize, or you’ll get more leaf than tuber (if growing for edible types).

Prune back long runners if they start to overtake a companion plant. You can simply pinch them off with your fingers. This pruning encourages bushier growth on the vine itself, too.

Benefits of Companion Planting

Why go to this trouble? The benefits are real and make your gardening more efficient. A good companion plant can help suppress weeds by covering bare soil. This living mulch also reduces water evaporation from the soil. Some plant pairings can confuse or repel harmful pests, reducing the need for sprays. Tall, sturdy plants can offer a bit of wind protection or light shade for more sensitive ones. And of course, combining colors, heights, and textures creates a more visually appealing garden that looks professionally designed.

FAQ Section

What grows well with sweet potato vine?
Many sun-loving annuals like geraniums, lantana, and coleus grow well with it. In the veggie garden, try corn or peppers.

Can you plant sweet potato vine with other vegetables?
Yes, it can be a good groundcover for taller vegetables. Avoid planting it too close to small, low-growing veggies that it might cover.

What should you not plant near sweet potato vine?
Avoid small, delicate flowers and herbs that need dry soil. Its vigorous growth can overwhelm them.

Does sweet potato vine make a good companion plant?
Absolutely. It’s excellent for covering ground, conserving moisture, and adding beautiful color to mixed plantings.

How do you keep sweet potato vine from taking over?
Regular pruning is key. Pinch back the long runners. In beds, you can also edge around it periodically with a shovel to cut back spreading roots.

Choosing the right companions for your sweet potato vine leads to a healthier, more beautiful garden. It’s about creating a community where each plant supports the others. With these ideas, you can create stunning containers, vibrant borders, and more productive vegetable patches. The versatility of this plant is truly impressive, offering solutions for both beauty and function. Experiment with different combinations each year to find your personal favorites. Your garden will thank you for the thoughtful planning.