Elephant's Foot (Dioscorea elephantipes)

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 16, 2010

Elephant's Foot
Dioscorea elephantipes

For sale at a nursery.

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palmbob Acton, CA(Zone 8b) Jul 22, 2010

these look more like the Mexican species of Dioscorea

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 23, 2010

Are you sure? They were labeled as Dioscorea elephantipes.

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 23, 2010

Here are the leaves if that helps your ID.

Just now looking both up trying to figure out the ID, I found ran across this picture. Do you know what it is? The flowers are incredible. http://picasaweb.google.com/darrylds1/DarrylsDioscorea?authkey=sTdAwajrlEE#5262999135071231410

Here are the leaves if that helps your ID.

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palmbob Acton, CA(Zone 8b) Jul 23, 2010

That is definitely NOT elephantipes... elephantipes has tiny, folded leaves. ANd the caudex is much more deeply fissured. Important to know the difference as mexican species is far more touchy and hard to keep alive, while elephantipes does well in our climate

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palmbob Acton, CA(Zone 8b) Jul 23, 2010

look at this photo of my two plants to get some ideas of the difference

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/160926/

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 23, 2010

Well shoot! I am going to call the nursery. This is one of the famous nurseries and they should have their act together! I bought one because I had read how easy they are to keep alive!

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 23, 2010

I called them. At first they were not to concerned about the ID so I got snippy. LOL This nursery thinks it is all that and had me thinking it too!

They do think it is a Dioscorea elephantipes and said they will not be sure until it puts up leaves. I take back that picture of the leaves. I thought they were the same because the lady I checked out from told me to go look at that one for it was growing already. But the buyer at the nursery said no, it is from a different grower from a different time. They have had that one awhile.

So he is calling his grower from Citrus Heights where he got them and will get back to me.

All that being said, mine sure looks more like your Dioscorea mexicana in that photo in shape the way the caudex is flatter. I am so unhappy if it is true. I already bought a special pot for it too that was not cheap and will not be good for anything else.

I took closer photos of mine for you to look at. The fissures are deep.

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 23, 2010

Another

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Kell San Leandro, CA(Zone 9b) Jul 23, 2010

And the last. Funny I am already attached to mine.

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