Jan–MarApr–JunJul–SepOct–Dec
Planting
Days to maturity
Seasonal yields
Sow indoors · Direct sow · Transplant outdoors
← Explore Plants
Plant · P-267
Yam
Dioscorea alata
Yam (Dioscorea alata) produces both an underground tuber and small aerial tubers, called bulbils, that form in the leaf axils through summer - and where the season is too short to fully bulk the root tuber, the bulbils become the real harvest instead of a bonus. The purple-fleshed forms are the ube used in Filipino cooking, and their anthocyanin pigment doubles as a natural food dye. Every part must be cooked, never eaten raw - the raw tuber is toxic and causes narcosis. Its vigorous climbing vine has to be lifted and stored like a dahlia where winters bring hard frost, but that same frost also keeps in check the aggressive, tree-smothering growth that makes it a listed invasive in frost-free regions.
Record at a glance
Growing profile
- Sun
- Full Sun · Partial Sun
- USDA zone
- USDA 9–11
- Soil
- Sand · Loam · Clay
- Moisture
- Moderate · Moist
Vertical layer
Vine- Soil pH
- 5.5–6.5
- Plant type
- Vine
- Mature height
- 20–30 ft
- Mature spread
- 3–6 ft
- Plant spacing
- 1.6–3.3 ft
- Root type
- Tap
- Spread pattern
- Both
Keep exploring
Similar plants
Discover more plants with shared forest layers or growing conditions.
Achocha
Cyclanthera pedata
Achocha is a fast climbing vine that gives three edible parts off one plant - young fruit eaten raw or cooked with a cucumber flavor, mature…
Vine · USDA 9–11
African Walnut
Plukenetia conophora
African Walnut is a fast-growing evergreen vine of humid tropical rainforest, grown for an oil-rich seed usually boiled or roasted and served…
Vine · USDA 10–12
Air Potato
Dioscorea bulbifera
Air Potato is a true perennial vine that produces edible bulbils in its leaf axils along with an underground tuber - unlike frost-killed…
Vine · USDA 7–11
Banana Passionfruit
Passiflora tarminiana
Banana Passionfruit is a fast-climbing vine that produces a deep yellow to orange fruit with sweet aromatic pulp, eaten raw or turned into…
Vine · USDA 10–12
Betel
Piper betle
Betel is a fast-growing woody climbing vine grown for its leaves which are chewed with areca palm seed and lime as a mild stimulant after…
Vine · USDA 10–12
Bitter Melon
Momordica charantia
Bitter melon is a fast-growing tropical vine grown for its young green fruit, cooked the way cucumber is used across the tropics. Left to…
Vine · USDA 9–11
The deeper layer
Plan what comes next.
- Primary
- Locked ecological function
- Secondary
- Locked ecological function
- Byproduct
- Locked ecological function
Behind the record
- Locked research reference
- Locked research reference
- Locked research reference