A Well Behaved Sweet Potato Vine??

Could there really be such a thing as a "well behaved" sweet potato vine?  The jury is still out on this new one that I found at Thomas Orchards Nursery (local to the Athens, GA area) but I decided to give it a try.  The lime green variety always adds a punch to a container but the ones I've used in the past turn into thugs, taking over the container -- and pouting when it gets too hot or has too little water.  Not a pretty sight with a veil of droopy leaves hanging over the sides of the pot. 

This one is called "Spotlight" (Ipomoea botatos).  The tag says its will get about 8-10" tall with a spread of 12+ inches.  I'm seeing that height being true but the spread has exceeded the stated size.  That's okay though.  I like the mounded effect and one plant will cover a good amount of space - saving money.  So far, Spotlight is not a vigorous trailer like its counterparts.  I have spent far too much time whacking back the trailers so I appreciate this characteristic.

Check back with me at the end of the summer and we'll see just how well behaved this plant was.  It also comes in bronze and black but I'm not a fan of the darker colors - they get lost in a pot and only create a "dark space".  But maybe - just maybe - I'll give them a try next season.

The Vinca Cora Red is pretty happy in this pot.  It has been doing so well that I've had to pinch it back a bit - no complaints though.

The Angelonia Serena Purple is getting pushed over by the vinca but I kind of like the sideways growth.  Not sure if it will be able to muscle its way up through that vinca though.  The verbena is making a come back after struggling to get established.  But the spaces it left are now being consumed by that wonderful vine.  It's always fun to groom the containers each week and see who is doing what - who is winning - who is losing.