Popular Types of Sweet Potatoes

Did you know that there are nearly 7,000 types of sweet potato? That doesn’t include the additional several thousand type of yam, an unrelated but similar plant.

Here are some of the most popular types of sweet potato sold in the U.S. and around the world.

Orange Sweet Potatoes Varieties

These are, by far, the most popular sweet potatoes sold in the United States.

Beauregard

The most popular type of sweet potato sold in the U.S., the Beauregard is an early-season, red-orange sweet potato with orange flesh. It is grown primarily in Louisiana.

Jewel

The jewel is the second most popular sweet potato sold in the United States. It has a copper exterior and deep orange flesh. It grows in North Carolina and is ripe mid-season.

Allgold

The allgold sweet potato is grown in Oklahoma. The allgold variety has tan skin with medium-orange flesh.

Apache

The Apache sweet potato (which is not an heirloom variety and was never grown by Apache Indians) is pale orange, inside and out.

Bunch Porto Rico [sic]

Grown in the “bunch” porto rico type of sweet potato grows in a compact bush and grows ripe late in the season. It has light orange skin and light orange flesh.

Centennial

The Centennial type of sweet potato has copper skin and pale orange flesh. It grows primarily in Louisiana.

Cherokee

Like the Apache, the Cherokee type of sweet potato was never grown by Cherokee Indians and is not an heirloom variety. It has bright copper skin and orange flesh.

Cordner

The Cordner variety of sweet potato grows in Texas and is ripe during mid-season. It has copper skin and medium orange flesh.

Red-Flesh Types of Sweet Potatoes

These are similar to orange sweet potatoes but have a rich reddish hue.

Amish Red

This sweet potato variety has deep-pink skin and red-orange flesh. It is ripe mid-season.

Continental Red

The Continental red has pinkish-red, pale skin. Its interior is a creamy light orange.

Carolina Ruby

As the name implies, the Carolina ruby grows in North Carolina and has red skin. Inside, its color is a deep, dark red-orange.

Dianne

The Dianne variety of sweet potato has reddish skin and dark orange flesh.

Garnet

Named after a brightly colored gemstone, the garnet has a bright red exterior with medium-orange flesh inside.

Georgia Jet

The Georgia jet grows in Georgia, as the name implies. Its skin is purplish red and it has a pale orange interior.

Cordner’s Red

The Cordner’s red sweet potato has deep purple skin and red-orange flesh. It grows primarily in Oklahoma.

White-Flesh Sweet Potato Varieties

These types of sweet potato have white flesh, but all the flavor of the more colorful sweet potato varieties.

Star Leaf

Also known as the Boniato or White Stephenson’s, the Star Leaf is an heirloom bush variety with light orange flesh and light orange skin.

White Delite

The white delite sweet potato has pale purple skin and completely white flesh. It grows ripe mid-season.

Nancy Hall

A late-season heirloom variety, the Nancy Hall has creamy yellow flesh and creamy yellow skin.

Sumor

The sumor is an early-season variety of sweet potato. Its skin is cream-colored and its flesh is pure white.

Picadita

Also known as the poplar root, the picadita is a stark white, Both its skin and its flesh are white in color.

There are many other types of sweet potatoes grown throughout the world, including bright yellow, gold and purple varieties. However, this list includes most of the popular types that you’re likely to encounter in the United States.

Click here for a list of over 100 popular types of sweet potato.