🌿Native Nature

sweet potato

Ipomoea batatas

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae ›Phylum: Tracheophyta ›Class: Magnoliopsida ›Order: Solanales ›Family: Convolvulaceae ›Genus: Ipomoea

About

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are a root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum) and does not belong to the nightshade family, Solanaceae, but both families belong to the same taxonomic order, the Solanales.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific name of sweet potato?
The scientific name of sweet potato is Ipomoea batatas.
What is the conservation status of sweet potato?
The sweet potato has a conservation status of Data Deficient.
What kingdom does sweet potato belong to?
sweet potato belongs to the kingdom Plantae.
What phylum does sweet potato belong to?
sweet potato belongs to the phylum Tracheophyta.
What class does sweet potato belong to?
sweet potato belongs to the class Magnoliopsida.
What order does sweet potato belong to?
sweet potato belongs to the order Solanales.
What family does sweet potato belong to?
sweet potato belongs to the family Convolvulaceae.
What genus does sweet potato belong to?
sweet potato belongs to the genus Ipomoea.

In the News

In Malawi, one woman’s farm shows what’s possible with land and support

CHIRADZULU, Malawi — Diana Sitima’s farm on the outskirts of Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre, is both example and an exception. Where neighboring farmers have planted mostly maize for food and for sale in nearby markets, people drive out to buy sweet potato, pigeon peas and vegetables, bananas and avocado, and eggs produced on Sitima’s 3.5-hectare […]

Mongabay · 6/4/2026