IDing a plant my grandmother had

My Grandmother had a plant that we called an air potato, but it didn't look like the pictures of the air potato I find if I search on the web.

To put this in context I haven't seen the plant since 1967 or 68 when she moved. This is also the memory of a boy around 7yo.

The plant as I remember it was a vine that had roundish leaves that either grew directly from the vine or possibly on very short stems. My memory says that the vine grew through the edge of the leaf. The leaves were dark green. They had "potatoes" on them maybe an inch in diameter or maybe smaller. Remember this is from a 7yo where everything was bigger to him. I was told that the "potatoes" would grow another plant. The "potatoes were tan and a little scaly. Anyone have any idea what they were and are and where I could get one?

This message was edited Mar 12, 2011 10:44 AM

Sure sounds like the plant I know as air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/32235/ I can't think of anything else it could be based on your description (maybe another Dioscorea species, but certainly something closely related)

Years ago I had a hanging plant called rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii). It had little heart shaped leaves spaced out on very thin stems and had these round 'growths' that were brown and scaly. It could be what your looking for except the leaves are not dark they are kind of silvery. I copied the following from this link: http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/string_hearts_vine.htm


"String of hearts vine is a trailing vine from South Africa and Zimbabwe that is a member of the milkweed family. It produces long, thin trailing stems that have widely spaced, opposite, heart shaped leaves that are about an inch long and wide. The leaves are succulent with cyclamen-like markings of silver on the bluish-green upper leaf surface. The lower leaf surface is gray-green to purple.

The vines can be three or more feet long. Along the stem is produced a series of swollen tubercles that vary from pea size to an inch across. These round structures give the plant its common name of Rosary Vine. These swollen structures will root readily if in contact with the soil and are an easy way of propagating the plant."

Thank You Shune. That's exactly what they were. If you look at the green part of the leaves they are more or less kelly green opposed to a yellower green of a generic lawn therefore to a 7yo "dark" green.

I've tried to figure out for the last 20+ years what they were. Now I have to get one.

LOL, from the first description I too thought the plant in question was Dioscorea bulbifera.

There are two Ceropegia woodii listed in Plant Files, the plain variety and a variegated form. If you click on the link below the plant name in Plant Files you can get information about vendors that have this plant for sale. Once you get to the Vendor area be sure to click on the area that says "Learn more about this vendor" and read feedback given by previous customers.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/53707/

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/122369/

I'm glad I could help you find your plant.

Did you read the comments under the Plantfiles information for the air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera)?

Unless you only want a monster houseplant that is going to need trimming constantly, I wouldn't think about planting that thing in your yard. There's so many negative comments about it! Apparently it grows on everything and will kill everything it grows on...

Thank goodness the Ceropegia woodii you were looking for is a nice friendly plant to have around@

This message was edited Mar 21, 2011 9:02 AM

What It was is rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii) which is what I want. I'm not sure air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) stands cold temperature and it isn't what my Gandmother had.

Dioscorea will stand more cold temperatures than Ceropegia will--neither of them will survive enough cold to spend a winter outside in your zone though.