No, a sweet potato is not a stem. It is a modified root, specifically a tuberous root, which is a swollen, fleshy root used for storing food. Unlike stems, sweet potatoes lack nodes, internodes, and buds.
Understanding the Difference
- Stems: Stems typically have nodes (where leaves attach), internodes (the segments between nodes), and buds (potential for new growth). They support the plant above ground and transport nutrients. Examples of modified stems include potatoes (which are stems).
- Roots: Roots anchor the plant, absorb water and nutrients from the soil, and, in some cases, store food. Sweet potatoes are a prime example of a root modified for storage.
Several sources confirm this: One source explicitly states that a sweet potato is a "swollen adventitious root (tuberous root)" and lacks the characteristic features of a stem.[^1] Another source directly contrasts sweet potatoes (root tubers) with potatoes (stem tubers).[^2] Furthermore, the propagation of sweet potatoes from stem cuttings demonstrates that the edible part is the root, not the stem from which it grows.[^3][^7] While sweet potato stems are sometimes used in cooking,[^4,^5,^8,^9] the main edible portion—the sweet potato itself—is the root.
[^1]: Sweet potato is a swollen adventitious root (tuberous root). It has no nodes, internodes and buds like a stem.
[^2]: Potatoes and yams technically have modified belowground stems (“stem tubers”) while sweet potatoes have “root tubers.” Yam is a common name for several vine…
[^3]: Sweetpotato is cultivated by vegetative propagation. Growers take stem cuttings from the vines, which then root and form new storage roots.
[^4]: Sweet Potato Stem MuChim
[^5]: Korean side dish (banchan): stir fried sweet potato stems (goguma…
[^6]: Potato - Root or Stem? Is Potato Stem or Root? Why Potato is NOT Root? In this video, we will learn why potatoes are underground stems and…
[^7]: PLANTING SWEET POTATO FROM STEMS | propagate sweet…
[^8]: stir fry sweet potato leaves with garlic - smelly lunchbox
[^9]: My sweet potato is slightly wrinkled and grown long stems, but still…
