Solanum Tuberosum
( so - LAY - num too - bur - OH - sum )
"What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be
a pretty decent sort of fellow."
- A. A. Milne
a pretty decent sort of fellow."
- A. A. Milne
introduction
These starchy root vegetables are staple foods in cuisines across the world, and are primarily native to southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia. These plants produce edible tuber roots and are herbaceous perennials that typically reach about 3 feet tall when mature. Potatoes are a staple food, and are considered to be classic vegetable garden crop. They are simple and fun plants to grow for all ages.
Potato Varieties and cUltivars
The following varieties and cultivars are just a sampling of the vast array of potatoes available to growers for cultivation.
Adirondack Blue
With blue flesh and skin with a slight purple tint. |
Adirondack Red
This variety has red flesh and skin. Early to mid-season, high yield. |
Agata
Dutch early maturing potato variety with yellow skin and flesh. |
Almond (Mandel Potato, Swedish Peanut Fingerling)
Yellow to white with an oval shape. Old variety popular in Europe. |
Alturas
Russet potato variety that does well in the Pacific Northwest. Made for processing. |
Amandine
Early potato variety first bred in Brittany, France. Long tubers with pale skin. Matures early. |
Amflora (EH92-527-1)
This GMO cultivar that is grown commercially for its starch content. |
Anya
A fingerling potato variety with pink-beige skin and white flesh. Nutty flavor. |
Atlantic
This variety produces brown tubers with white flesh and is commonly used for chipping. |
Austrian Crescent (Kipfel)
Medium-maturing yellow potato good for salads and roasting. |
Bamberg
These are long, irregularly shaped potatoes with a waxy texture. Yield is rather low. |
Belle de Fontenay
Small fingerling variety with yellow skin and flesh. French heirloom circa 1885. |
Black Champion
Purple-skinned round, flattened tubers. Old garden variety. |
British Queen
White kidney-shaped mid-season potato with great flavor. |
Butte
Late-season classic Idaho baking potato with good protein content. |
Chiloe
A variety of potatoes from the Chiloe Archipelago in Peru and Bolivia. |
Desiree
Red-skinned potato with distinctive flavor. Drought-resistant. Good for roasting, mashing, and salads. |
Gala
Early-ripening potato with firm medium yellow flesh, and bright yellow skin. |
Golden Wonder
Late russet ideal for baking, roasting, and frying. Will disintegrate if boiled for too long. |
Home Guard
Irish variety with moderate to low yields of white creamy potatoes that tend to discolor when cooked. |
Irish Lumper
White potato famous for being implicated in the Great Irish Famine. |
Jersey Royal
Commercially grown variety with very thin skin. |
Kennebec
Medium to late-maturing white potato grown commercially for chip production and fresh market. |
Kerr's Pink
Scottish potato variety with pink skin and deep eyes. Good for mashing, chipping and boiling. |
King Edward
White skinned with pink areas and shallow eyes. Very old variety used for roasting, mashing, and chipping. Makes good gnocchi. |
Laura
Mid-season potato with red skin and yellow flesh. Rich flavor and firm flesh. |
Marcy
Late-maturing white potato used for chipping, baking, and boiling. |
Marfona
Waxy textured potato with light brown to yellow skin and yellow to cream-colored flesh. |
Maris Piper
The most widely grown potato in the U.K.; used for roasting, mashing, and chipping. |
Megachip
Round white potato that produces high-quality chips with excellent color and flavor. |
Melody
Yellow potato with smooth skin and dry flesh, good boiled or mashed. |
Ozette
Oldest variety of potato grown in the Pacific Northwest. Petite fingerling potato with tan speckled skin and deep eyes. |
Pink Fir Apple
Long, knobbly potatoes with pinkish skin and creamy waxy flesh. |
Ranger Russet
Late-maturing russet potato on moderate to high-producing plants. |
Ratte (La Ratte)
Nutty-flavored spud with buttery texture with golden speckled skin. For mashing, salads, or casseroles. |
Red Gold
Red-skinned potato with yellow flesh. Mid-season. |
Red Norland (Baby Reds)
Often boiled or used in potato salads, this variety produces small red potatoes with waxy white flesh. |
Red Pontiac (Dakota Chief)
Red-skinned potato with white waxy flesh. Early-maturing variety. |
Rooster
Dull red tubers with yellow floury flesh. Easy to peel, and used for boiling, mashing, chipping, roasting, and steaming. |
Russet Burbank
Good for mashing, baking, and chipping, these are commonly cultivated potatoes. |
Russian Blue
Medium-sized round and oblong tubers with deep purple flesh and greyish skin. Similar in texture to russets. |
Shetland Black
Dark purple heritage-type white-fleshed potato good for roasting, steaming, baking, or chipping. |
Superior
White-skinned white-fleshed potato harvested mid-season. Good for chipping. |
Umatilla Russet
Great for frozen French fries, with tan skin and creamy, light-colored flesh. |
Vitelotte
French blue-violet potato cultivar with almost black skin. Nutty flavor, chestnut smell. Matures late and is low-yielding. |
Vivaldi
Potatoes with yellow skin and pale yellow flesh. Smooth texture. |
Yellow Finn
Medium-sized tubers with yellow flesh and white to yellow skin. |
Yukon Gold
Popular Canadian cultivar which produces tubers with thin smooth skin and yellow flesh. |
Caring for Solanum Tuberosum
Propagation
Potatoes can be propagated via tubers. Each eye on a potato has the potential to become a growing point.
|
Potato seeds are typically flattened and light brown to tan in color.
|
problems and Pests
Solanum tuberosum or Potato plants can have issues with the following pests and diseases in the landscape:
|
|
Gallery
Potatoes are commonly grown in raised beds.
|
Potatoes can also be grown in containers.
|
Potato plant flowers.
|
Bees are important pollinators of potato flowers.
|
Potato tubers are typically harvested 80-130 days after they are planted.
|
For each potato planted, 5-6 are harvested.
|
