Introduction

Despite its name, the sweet potato is not related to Irish or white potato. Potatoes are members of the Solanaceae family whereas sweet potatoes belong to the morning-glory family (Convolvulaceae). Sweet potato originated in South America, and is one of the most important food crops in the developing world. North Carolina and Mississippi are leading producers of sweet potato in the U.S. Sweet potato is a frost-sensitive crop that needs between 90 and 150 days of frost-free period to produce harvestable roots.

Types and varieties

The skin of sweet potatoes can be yellow, orange, copper, red, or purple; the flesh can be white, yellow, orange, or purple. Varieties with copper-colored skin with moist orange-colored flesh are the most common in New England; however, many ethnic populations prefer the starchier white-fleshed varieties.