IPOMOEA costata

A fast-growing creeper with large purplish-pink trumpet flowers and Edible tubers related to the Sweet potato. Bush potatoes were cooked on the hot earth beside the fire, and the potato is still eaten in the desert today.
In the kitchen use it as you would sweet or normal potato. Very fast growing but can be sensitive to frost although they will recover. Native of the Southern Kimberley and Pilbara areas of West Australia extending into Central Australia.

Adaptable to most well-drained garden soils in a sunny position.

Please Note: Although many of the traditional Bush Food and Medicine plants are now commercially produced in various forms we recommend you re-search these before using them as any form of food or medicine. Some parts of the plant may not be edible or some may need to be prepared before they are safe to eat or use in any way. We do our best to describe their traditional & modern uses. It is the purchaser's responsibility to ensure they are fit for their intended use.

Grow notes:

Although seed can be sown most of the year in many parts of Australia seed is generally best sown in spring or autumn in temperate climates, avoid the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum germination temperature for germination is around 18-22°C.

Ipomoea seeds germinate readily, however, they do have a hard outer coating which is impervious to water and generally, germination will normally not occur unless the seed is scarified by abrading or pre-treated with boiling water first.

1. Place the seed in a container and pour in just boiled water and allow to soak overnight.
2. The swollen seed can then be sown, re-treat seeds that have not swollen.
3. Sow seed 6mm deep, keep warm & moist but not wet.
4. Germination should occur in 10-21 days @ 18-22C.

General note: Seeds of many plants are dormant and require specific conditions or pre-treatment for germination.
Do not be too hasty to discard seed that does not germinate, seeds will often lay dormant until the conditions are similar to their natural requirements for germination to occur. Containers put to one side will often surprise long after they were discarded.