Urulaikizhangu (Solanum tuberosum)

Potato, urulaikizhangu in Tamil and aloo in Hindi, is an Andean tuber domesticated near Lake Titicaca roughly eight thousand years ago. Portuguese traders brought it to India in the 1600s, and it is now so central to Indian cooking that India is the world’s second-largest grower. Most of the crop comes from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar. Green skins and sprouts contain toxic glycoalkaloids.

Botanical name: Solanum tuberosum L.
Family: Solanaceae
Tamil: Urulaikizhangu
Hindi: Aloo
Sanskrit: Ālukam
Parts used: Tuber after cooking
Habit: Andean tuber crop; green skins and sprouts are the caution
Last updated: 2026-10-27

How to recognise Urulaikizhangu

It is a bushy, knee-high annual with soft stems and leaves divided into large leaflets with small leaflets between them.

The flowers are white, pink or purple stars with a cone of yellow anthers in the centre, like brinjal flowers.

Some plants set small, green, tomato-like berries that are poisonous.

The tubers are swollen underground stems, with buds called eyes from which sprouts grow.

Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas, is a vine with heart-shaped leaves and true storage roots.

Traditional use of Urulaikizhangu

Kitchen

Aloo goes into aloo paratha, dum aloo, samosa, vada pav and the potato masala of masala dosa.

Indian food practice

Kitchen

Andean farmers freeze-dry potatoes in the cold night air and sun into chuño, which keeps for years.

Andean food practice

Farming

On the North Indian plains potatoes are planted in October and dug in February and March, then held in cold stores.

North Indian farm practice

Modern notes on Urulaikizhangu

Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, destroyed Ireland’s potato crop in 1845 to 1849 and caused a famine that killed about a million people.

The Central Potato Research Institute at Shimla, founded in 1949, bred the Kufri varieties grown across India.

Potatoes supply vitamin C, potassium and energy, but most varieties raise blood sugar quickly.

Frying or roasting at high heat forms acrylamide, and storing potatoes in the fridge raises their sugar and the acrylamide formed later.

Urulaikizhangu safety

Cut away green patches and sprouts, and throw out potatoes that taste bitter, because they contain solanine. Never eat the leaves or berries. Store potatoes in a cool, dark place, not the fridge.

Ecology and sourcing

Wild potato species grow from the south-western United States to Chile.

Bumblebees buzz-pollinate the flowers, but farmers plant tubers rather than seed.

Because crops are grown from tubers, fields are often genetically uniform and vulnerable to disease.

Related plants

Also in Solanaceae

Questions about Urulaikizhangu

Why do potatoes turn green?

Light makes them form chlorophyll, and solanine forms alongside it.

Is sweet potato a potato?

No. Sweet potato is Ipomoea batatas, a morning-glory relative.

When did potatoes reach India?

Portuguese traders brought them in the 1600s.

Are sprouted potatoes safe?

Remove the sprouts and eyes; discard soft or bitter potatoes.

Where are potatoes grown in India?

Mainly Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.