Dioscorea bulbifera

Air Potato

Dioscorea bulbifera is a perennial vine with broad, alternate, heart shaped leaves. it can grow to 20m at 20cm a day. It typically climbs to the tops of trees and has a tendency to take over native plants. Considered a noxious weed in Florida. The plant forms bulbils in the leaf axils of the twining stems, and tubers beneath the ground. These tubers are like small, oblong potatoes. Some varieties are edible and cultivated as a food crop.

Contributed by @Frankie29588

plant Features

Full sun to partial shade
Occasional watering
Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)
Moist and free draining

plant information

Common name

Air Potato

Latin name

Dioscorea bulbifera

type

Perennial Vine

family

Dioscoreaceae

ph

5.0 - 7.5 Acid - Neutral

Light

Full sun to partial shade
Frost

Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)

Soil

Moist and free draining
Water

Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

Best time to plant

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Air Potato is 2.00meters x 20.00meters

2.00 M 20.00 M

Dioscorea bulbifera

Propagation

From Late Winter TO Early Spring

The bulbils on the vines sprout and become new vines, twisting around each other to form a thick mat. These can be removed and planted. If the plant is cut to the ground, the tubers can survive for extended periods and send up new shoots later. These can also be divided to create new plants.

Planting

From Early Spring TO Early Spring

As this plant can take over other plants and trees, it is best planted in large containers to restrict the spread by tubers. It should however be planted in a moist but well drained soil, in sun or partial shade and be protected from temperatures below -5C. It prefers acid to neutral soil types.

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