Air-Potato (Dioscorea bulbifera)

The 'potatoes' on the vine

TeeHee...for some reason that plant tickles my funny bone...

LOL CS, thank your lucky stars you don't have them!!

Now that is just fascinating, Floridian! It looks like one of those things someone would import into their yard as a converstation piece, then start boarding up the windows to keep it out.

That's about it Weez, we pull seedlings by the dozen in the spring only to turn around and find them climbing trees and fences. It's amazing! Impossible to keep up with AND they drop fruit all season!

This message was edited Tuesday, Nov 12th 7:30 PM

Does the fruit rot or dry up?

I pick my fruit or potatoes right before frost and just lay them on a shelf until spring. They are hard as rocks and when the decide to grow, look out. I started some in the greenhouse in pots this year and had to keep cutting them back. They were taking over and very fast.

I've never seen a rotten or dried up tuber. We carry bags around and collect them or I toss them into the driveway and drive over them. If I toss them in with cuttings pretty soon I have vines growing...they really are amazing. The vine in the picture is growing up into my saw palmettos. I've cleared them several times this year.

I suppose they're not a problem for you in your climate, are they Brugie?

Sounds like you have to tame them Brugie. Lots of people up north grow them with no problems. Lucky!! LOL

No problem here. I don't have a lot of tubers on my vines, but enough to give to friends and keep for myself for the next season. For some reason, my friends never get potatoes. My aunt got a few this year, but mine were by far the biggest. Would hate to have to go without this vine. The size and shape of the leaves are worth it. It would never get out of control where the ground freezes like ours does. I dug up a plant one time. What is under them is amazing too. Strangest looking roots you would ever see.

Next time you dig one up, Brugie, take a picture of the roots and post it on the PDB. I'd be interested in seeing that.

Will have to be next fall. Everything is gone from here now. Hope I can remember that far down the line. :-)

Maybe Floridian can get a pic the next time she has to beat back the invading forces!

Gosh those look familiar. Some of mine get so big I could bowl with them!

Flo that is one unusual looking plant but I don't think I would want it after reading how invasive it is.With my luck even though it gets down below zero here it would still take over my small garden.
I am having enough trouble trying to get rid of the Maypop Passion flower vine.

Wind, mine have stayed on my trellis every year with no problem. When a runner starts to flop over toward the ground, I just toss it over the top of the trellis and off it goes. Probably didn't have to do that more than a half dozen times this summer. You really would like this vine. It is a challenge to get potatoes on them in our climate.

Brugie I don't think I want to try....too chicken lol.

They really do not go that crazy here. As long as I can get potatoes on mine for the next year, I'll grow them. I tried to dig the roots and grow them from those tubers, but that didn't work. Had to ask for potatoes for this year, but now I'm set for next year with some really nice potatoes. I've heard they are edible, but I don't think I want to even try. The tubers underground would feed a family. I'm off to another forum now. Have a good one.

Good luck with them and I will be looking forward to seeing some of theose big potatoes.

CS: trust me when I tell you that it doesn't tickle when one of those potatoes falls on your head!

Brugie: Have you tried fertilizing them to get bigger potatoes? Maybe the soil is too fertile up there in IA. Perhaps adding sand would be more effective. We've got plenty down here!