Russet tubers are longer and more slender than other potato cultivars.
Potatoes are relatively easy to grow, preserve and cook, making them a staple diet in many regions. Approximately 4,000 varieties exist worldwide. Amid all of these, a few standard cultivars are most common, including the russet potato (also called the Burbank or Idaho potato), which is found in virtually every produce department across the United States. The russet potato's vine contains several identifying characteristics.
Instructions
1. Note the vine's spread pattern. Unlike some potato vines, a russet vine is thick and sturdy. It grows straight up, much like a stalk or vertical stem.
2. Look for small white flowers on the vine in mid- to late spring. About five to seven weeks after a spring crop is planted, russet vines produce blooms. Look very closely for flowers, as you may miss them; russet flowers are small and sparse.
3. Examine any tubers attached to the vine near the end of the growing season. The tubers are the edible parts of the potato plant. Russet tubers are oblong and slender rather than stout or circular. Tuber skin is dark brown in russet potato vines.
4. Inspect the vine's leaves. A russet potato vine features leaves about 4 to 5 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. Leaves are light to medium-green in color.
Tags: russet potato, potato vine, potato vines, russet potato vine, Russet tubers
