Air Yam
Dioscorea bulbifera
Also known as: Dioscorea latifolia
- Native to:
- Andaman Is., Angola, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Borneo, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caprivi Strip, Caroline Is., Central African Republic, Chad, China, Christmas I., Congo, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guam, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Hainan, India, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jawa, Kenya, Korea, Laccadive Is., Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, Nepal, New Guinea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Vengolis
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Dioscoreaceae
- Genus:
- Dioscorea
- Species:
- Dioscorea bulbifera
- USDA Symbol:
- DIBU
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Vine
- Height:
- 2000 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream
Reported Fauna Sightings
Moths:Nessus hawk moth (Theretra nessus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Fall Color:
- yellow
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to tropical and subtropical regions
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Reproduces primarily via aerial bulbils rather than seeds; bulbils sprout readily without pretreatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI