Ipomoea orizabensis

Ipomoea orizabensis is a climber that lives for more than one year. It belongs to the Convolvulaceae family. Kew gives its home range as Mexico into Central America. Useful Tropical Plants names Mexico and Guatemala within that range. The RHS lists its common name as scammony root. It says the plant is not native to Britain or Ireland. These sources say little about its use in gardens.

The plant grows from a thick rootstock that lasts between seasons. Its stems twine and grow anew each year. The stems last one year, but the plant lives on. Kew calls it a climbing tuberous geophyte. This means it climbs and has a lasting, swollen base below ground. Useful Tropical Plants says plants range from small to large. It gives no usable height or spread for full-grown plants. Thus, these sources set no size range for garden plants. They give few details of its leaves, flowers, or fruit.

Kew places it in a tropical zone with dry seasons. In Guatemala, it grows in moist thickets at high sites. The range there is about 5,250–12,470 feet [1,600–3,800 metres]. This record covers wild sites, not tests in gardens. It does not show how much water garden plants need. The sources give no firm guide to sun or soil. They give no hardiness rating or time of bloom. Useful Tropical Plants says growers can raise plants from seed. It gives no method for sowing or details on sprouting.

People gather roots from wild plants for use as medicine. This use involves the dried root, not the leaves. The source says it acts as a strong laxative. This means it causes watery bowel movements. It reports a glucosidal resin and a pale yellow essential oil. It also lists a substance called sconoletin. These records describe use as medicine, not steps for home treatment. Useful Tropical Plants rates its use as medicine two out of five. It records no known food uses or other uses.

The same source lists no known hazards. This does not mean the plant is safe to eat. The sources give no pest or disease account for this species. These sources also leave some doubt about its identity. The RHS marks its name as unresolved. Useful Tropical Plants cites an older account that raises a question. That account asks whether it is distinct from Ipomoea purpurea.