Mitha Alu / Sweet Potato
Ipomoea batatas
- Found in India
- Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana & more
How to identify Mitha Alu
Identify Mitha Alu by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Edible starchy tuberous roots (sweet potato).
- Confirm leaf shape: Ovate.
- Confirm leaf margin: Toothed.
- Confirm flower colour: Purple.
- In India, compare location records such as Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Convolvulaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Mitha Alu.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Ipomoea batatas
- Genus
- Ipomoea
- Family
- Convolvulaceae
- Found in India
- Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chandigarh, Delhi, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf shape
- OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.“The leaf blades are very variable, 5 to 13 cm (2 to 5 in) long, the shape is heart-, kidney- to egg-shaped, rounded or triangular and spear-shaped, the edge can be entire, toothed ” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- ToothedrecordedA saw-like or jagged edge (serrate or dentate).“The leaf blades are very variable, 5 to 13 cm (2 to 5 in) long, the shape is heart-, kidney- to egg-shaped, rounded or triangular and spear-shaped, the edge can be entire, toothed ” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- PubescentrecordedCovered in short, soft hairs.“Most of the leaf surfaces are bare, rarely hairy, and the tip is rounded to pointed.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Characters marked “recorded” are for Mitha Alu itself; the rest are typical of the Convolvulaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- PurplerecordedPurple or violet
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Mitha Alu itself; the rest are typical of the Convolvulaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Assamese
- মিঠা আলু mitha alu
- Bengali
- মৌআলু mau alu, মিষ্টি আলু mishti alu, রাঙাআলু rana alu, রাঙ্গা আলু ranga alu
- Dogri
- शकरकंदी shakarkandi
- Gujarati
- રક્તાળુ raktalu, રતાળુ ratalu, શક્કરીયાં shakkariyam
- Hindi
- मीठा आलू mitha alu, शकरकन्द shakarkand
- Kannada
- ಗೆಣಸುಗಡ್ಡೆ Genasu gadde, ಸೀಗೆಣಸು Seegenasu, ಸಿಹಿಗೆಣಸು Sihi genasu, ಗೆಳಸು, ಗೆೞಸು Gelasu, Gezhasu
- Konkani
- ಚಿನಿಕಣಂಗ chinikananga, कणंग kananga
- Malayalam
- ചക്കരക്കിഴങ്ങ് cakkarakkilangu, ചീനക്കിഴങ്ങു chinakkilangu, മധുരക്കിഴങ്ങ് madhurakkilangu, മരക്കിഴങ്ങു marakkilangu, വള്ളിക്കിഴങ്ങു vallikkilangu
- Manipuri
- ꯃꯡꯔꯥ Mangra
- Marathi
- रताळे ratale
- Mizo
- Bahra thlum, Kâwl ba-hra
- Nepali
- चाकुहि chakuhi, कन्दमूल kandamula, सख्खर खण्ड sakkhar khand
- Odia
- କନ୍ଦମୂଳ kandamula, କିରି kiri, କିଟି kiti, ଶକର କନ୍ଦ shakara kanda
- Punjabi
- ਸ਼ਕਰਕੰਦੀ shakarkandi
- Sanskrit
- किरि kiri, किटि kiti, किटिमूलाभ kitimulabha, सूकरी sukari, वराही varahi, वृद्धिद vrddhida
- Santali
- sakarkenda
- Sindhi
- گجر لاهوريِ gajar lahorei
- Tamil
- சர்க்கரைவள்ளி carkkarai valli, சீனிக்கிழங்கு cini-k-kilanku, வற்றாளை varralai
- Tangkhul
- meiteipai
- Telugu
- చిలగడదుంప chilagadadumpa, గెణుసు గడ్డ genasu gadda, కంద గడ్డ kanda gadda, మోహనము mohanamu, తెల్ల దుంప thella dumpa
- Tulu
- ಕೆರೆಂಗ್ kerengu
- Urdu
- شکر کند shakar kand
- Angami
- Rophie
About Mitha Alu
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) belongs to the Convolvulaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana and 16 other states.
Uses
Locally it is grown for parts that are eaten, planted as an ornamental and a source of dye or tannin. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.
Convolvulaceae
Morning glory family
Mitha Alu belongs to the Convolvulaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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