1 / 9

Dioscorea bulbifera

air potato

Dioscoreaceae Tropical Africa and Asia

Fragrant (light)

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 8–11

Overview

Dioscorea bulbifera is a fast-growing, herbaceous twining vine in the yam family (Dioscoreaceae) that climbs 20-60 feet (6-18 m) in a single season from an underground tuber. The stems twine to the left and bear alternate, broadly heart-shaped leaves 2-8 inches (5-20 cm) long with prominent curved veins and long stalks. Its defining feature is the production of rounded, warty aerial bulbils, 0.5-5 inches (1-13 cm) across, that form in the leaf axils and resemble small potatoes; these drop to the ground and sprout into new plants. Flowers are small, greenish, and fragrant but appear infrequently in introduced regions, where spread is almost entirely by bulbils and tubers. The vine dies back in winter in cooler areas and resprouts from tubers and fallen bulbils in spring. In Florida and other parts of the southeastern United States it is listed as an invasive weed that smothers native vegetation. The bulbils and tubers of wild forms contain bitter, toxic compounds and are not safe to eat.

Native Range

Dioscorea bulbifera is native to tropical Africa and Asia. It has been introduced widely across the tropics and into the warm southeastern United States, where it has naturalized and become invasive, particularly in Florida.

Suggested Uses

This species is managed as an invasive weed across the warm southeastern United States and is not planted ornamentally. In its native range some cultivated, non-bitter forms have a history of food and medicinal use, while wild forms are toxic. In a reference context it serves as an example of an aggressive bulbil-forming vine.

How to Identify

Identification rests on a vigorous twining vine with alternate, broadly heart-shaped leaves marked by prominent curved veins, paired with rounded, warty bulbils that hang in the leaf axils like small, knobby potatoes. The left-twining stems and the aerial bulbils together separate it from native morning glories and other heart-leaved vines. Bulbils littering the ground beneath the vine are a reliable sign.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height20' - 60'

Width/Spread3' - 10'

Colors

Flower Colors

green

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

yellow

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering is infrequent in introduced regions and, where it occurs, takes place in late summer and fall as small, greenish, fragrant flowers. Most reproduction happens instead through aerial bulbils, which form from summer into fall. The bulbils, rather than seed, drive the rapid spread of the plant.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Dioscorea bulbifera grows in full sun to partial shade and tolerates a wide range of soils, growing fastest in moist, fertile ground in warm climates. It is cold-sensitive, dying back where winters are freezing and persisting through underground tubers. Because it spreads aggressively by bulbils and tubers, it overruns fences, shrubs, and tree canopies where it is not contained. The plant is regulated as a noxious or invasive weed in Florida and several other states, and removal of vines, tubers, and fallen bulbils is the focus of control efforts. It needs no cultivation and is generally targeted for eradication rather than planting.

Pruning

Pruning in a control context means repeatedly cutting back vines and stripping bulbils before they drop and root. Digging out the underground tubers is needed to stop regrowth, since cut stems resprout readily. Collected bulbils and tubers are bagged and discarded rather than composted.