Hobby growers have a new eatable selection for their cosmetic gardens by way of life of a Louisiana ducky : the sweet potato .
Developed by LSU AgCenter stock breeder in quislingism withFitzGerald Nurseries , of Kilkenny , Ireland , the sweet potato selections are market in North America through Concept Plants and in Europe by FitzGerald as Treasure Island sweet potatoes .
The breakthrough ornamental are the first comestible and cosmetic sweetened potatoes to hit the grocery store and were recently recognize with a Green Thumb Award in the Edible Plants category from the Direct Gardening Association .
Treasure Island Kaukura decorative sweet tater produce tuber with orange - color flesh from plants with cryptical purple foliage . Photo courtesy of FitzGerald Nurseries , Kilkenny , Ireland
“ Our design was to develop a series of sugared potato plants with everything from livid and orange to violet flesh , and we really taste to capture a lot of different looks with leafage , ” said LSU AgCenter plant breederDon La Bonte .
The new varietal selections under a FitzGerald Nurseries and Graines Voltz entry were also award a “ coup de coeur ” at the Concours Innovert competition during the beauty parlor du vegetal show , one of Europe ’s leave garden plant shows held in France . The term “ un coup de coeur ” literally translate as “ a black eye to the sum , ” commonly used as an verbalism of sudden , hard attraction or love for something .
While Louisiana consumer have long recognise sweet potatoes for their versatility in favorites like fries , pies and sides , the edible decorative varieties also provide nutritious leaves for colorful and tasty additions to salads , conjure - fries and smoothies .
The tuberous sweet potato beginning is widely considered a nutritionary superfood as a good source of vitamin B and C and is high-pitched in fiber , iron , atomic number 20 and antioxidant .
The edible leaves of the Treasure Island motley are also high in lutein , a carotenoid found in eminent quantity in spinach , kale and cultivated carrot , La Bonte said .
Treasure Island Makatea cosmetic sweet potatoes produce showy , chartreuse - colored foliage . Photo good manners of FitzGerald Nurseries , Kilkenny , Ireland
The plants are loose to grow , execute well over a broad range of mountains of growing term and offer the added bonus of an edible root harvest in the declivity , he said .
Perfect in landscapes , specially where space is an takings , a liberal compass of foliage colors from showy Paris green to abstruse purple will give raiser many options .
The out skin of the Tuber also varies in material body and colour from rich purple to light orange , while chassis colors vary from lily-white to light and dark Orange River to purple .
Sweet potatoes are not plant from seed but from cud or slips , which are modest rooted pieces of tuber bring about from thinning .
“ The trick with a sweet white potato vine spark plug is to bury it deeper than the original plug depth to bewitch a couple of the fresh node underground so fresh , more attractively mold roots will educate , ” La Bonte aver .
The Treasure Island sweet potato line will boast five varieties , each nominate for islands in Gallic Polynesia , including Kaukura , Makatea , Manihi , Tatakoto and Tahiti .
Different variety show of Treasure Island ornamental sweet spud offer a variety of foliage presentations in mixed containers with other vegetables and herbs . photograph courtesy of FitzGerald Nurseries , Kilkenny , Ireland
“ industrial plant are available for the first sentence in 2020 in Europe and USA in special numbers , ” allege FitzGerald Nurseries owner Pat FitzGerald .
The new miscellany are being run marketed in the U.S. in 2020 with a wider distribution planned in 2021 .
gardener can purchase plants through local garden storehouse and mail order via Thompson and Morgan , U.K. , FitzGerald said . In Europe , raiser can buy planting stuff through FitzGerald Nurseries , Graines Voltz and Histhil .
informant : LSU AgCenter ( Karol Osborne )
