Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine

Sweet Caroline Upside™ Black Coffee is an ornamental sweet potato vine with very dark foliage and a distinctive climbing form. It can climb a trellis or trail from a container, adding vertical movement or a cascading edge to mixed plantings, as shown in the [Proven Winners cultivar profile](https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/ipomoea/sweet-caroline-upside-black-coffee-ornamental-sweet-potato-vine-ipomoea-batatas). ## Selection and placement The selection is *Ipomoea batatas* ‘NCORNSP-029SCBC’. Its U.S. plant patent, PP35,148, issued May 2, 2023; the patent describes deeply lobed, purple leaves and vigorous twining growth ([patent record](https://patents.justia.com/patent/PP35148)). Proven Winners describes the foliage as black and gives a mature garden height of 36–72 in, a spread of 18–36 in, and trailing growth up to 36 in. It recommends part sun to sun and notes that foliage appears greener in shade; listed zones are 11a–11b. The profile lists average water needs and uses including containers, landscape plantings, groundcover, mass planting, and specimen use; it also identifies a thriller role in combinations. NC State Extension’s broader species profile places *Ipomoea batatas* in Convolvulaceae and describes full sun or partial shade with loamy, well-drained, organic-rich soil; use that as species-level background, not cultivar sizing ([Extension guide](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ipomoea-batatas/)). ## Maintenance Deadheading is unnecessary. Allow room for the vigorous stems, or trim them to keep this vine from overwhelming less vigorous plants in a combination.