How do you care for dioscorea Mexicana?
The caudex must be kept in shade but close enough to a window for its vines to find the light they need. This can be both a summer and winter grower depending on its mood. If you notice it making new vines and leaves, water it once or twice a week in the evening. If it stops growing new vines and leaves, chill out.
What is Dioscorea used for?
GENERIC NAME: WILD YAM (Dioscorea villosa) – ORAL. USES: Wild yam has been used for menstrual cramps and discomfort, rheumatoid arthritis, stomach cramps and pain from gallstones. Some herbal/diet supplement products have been found to contain possibly harmful impurities/additives.
Is dioscorea Elephantipes edible?
The Dioscorea elephantipes is a very special plant with a beautiful tortoiseshell- like tuber protruding from the soil in which it grows. The tubers of the Dioscorea elephantipes are edible and can also be used as a medicine.
How do you grow dioscorea Mexicana?
Only put a very small portion of the plant below soil (10% at most). We rest them in a layer of 1 to 2″ of rock and let the roots find the soil below the rocks. New roots grow from the outer edge of the caudex, so they are best protected with a well drained layer of gravel.
How do you grow dioscorea Elephantipes?
You should keep your plant at around 65°F (18°C) minimum for it to thrive. These plants prefer full sun but can also adapt to partial shade. Yet, like most succulents that prefer a lot of light, these plants look best when kept in bright direct sun. Elephant’s Foot plants have typical water needs like most succulents.
Is wild yam estrogen or progesterone?
In the 1950s, scientists discovered that the roots of wild yam — not to be confused with the sweet potato yam — contain diosgenin. Diosgenin is a phytoestrogen, or plant-based estrogen, that can be chemically converted into a hormone called progesterone.
How fast does a dioscorea Elephantipes grow?
By the end of the first year the caudex has grown to approximately 10 mm. After five years the caudex should have reached a size of 120 mm in diameter. Dioscorea elephantipes is water wise! Dioscorea elephantipes grows easily and rapidly.
Are yams succulents?
The starchy succulent caudexes and tubers of many species of yam, especially African yams, contain toxins to discourage predators and require careful preparation before they can be eaten safely.
How do you sprout dioscorea Elephantipes?
Elephant’s Foot plants propagate via seeds. Propagation from cuttings is not an option with these plants. When you collect the seeds, make sure that the seed capsule is completely dry. After you collect the seeds, sow them in a sowing mix, preferably mixed with sand, a few cm’s deep.
When should I repot dioscorea Elephantipes seedlings?
After the first year, the plant will grow a bit faster and after this period of time passes, you can repot the young plants into separate containers. In about 8 months after the germination, the plant will develop a caudex the size of a coin.
How tall does the Dioscorea mexicana plant grow?
The caudex of D. mexicana is divided into regular polygonal plates that become protuberant with age, and separated by deep fissures. The vigorous annual vines which may reach 30 feet (9 m) long before dying back in winter, that grow up from the caudex, bear heart-shaped leaves.
Where did the Dioscoreaceae plant get its name?
Named after the Greek physician, Dioscorides The Dioscoreaceaeis a group of 8 genera and over 600 species, including many interesting succulent caudiciforms and species with an underground tuberous root. Both caudexes and tubers store water and starchy food reserves to carry the plant through periods of dormancy.
What does a Dioscorea caucasica look like?
Dioscorea caucasica Lipsky 1892 This climbing plant has green stems bearing heart-shaped, prominently veined leaves with a matt-green surface. Stems, especially flower stems are slightly pubescent. The small yellow female ♀ flowers shown here are on the end of a prominent ovary destined to become a three-winged seed pod.
What kind of hormones does Dioscorea mexicana produce?
It is notable for its production of diosgenin, which is a precursor for the synthesis of hormones such as progesterone. Russell Marker developed the extraction and manufacture of hormones from D. mexicana at Syntex.