Vegetative propagation of Dioscorea elephantipes? Solved

[Stuart Estell]

Has anyone ever tried rooting a section of Dioscorea vine to produce a new plant? That plantzafrica.com site says that "cuttings are not an option", which made me curious to know whether that was really true - if cuttings aren't an option, is layering?

I'm sure at some point in the dim and distant past I read something about propagating some types of caudiciforms from cuttings but I can't for the life of me remember what it was.

[iann]

Completely theoretical statement here since I have never done this to a Dioscorea. You can, in general, propagate any caudex by chopping an appropriate chunk out of the caudex. You need to get a chunk with suitable portions for generating new stems and new roots and away you go. Your old caudex may not be quite the same shape afterwards

[Peter B]

As others have said, vegetative propagation via stems is a no go as is layering....having attempted both out of pure interest. I certainly wouldn't want to spoil the caudex to see if regeneration were possible and think it would be very hard anyway.

Peter B Manchester Branch

[Nick]

Whilst it may be true for Dioscoreas that stem cuttings are a no-go, for other caudiciforms like Neoalsomitra (Cucurbit from Burma/Thailand) it certainly works.

However, formation of a new caudex can either be quick or very slow, if at all, depending on species.

Bottom line - Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Nick

[Marlon Machado]

Well, Dioscorea basiclavicaulis can be propagated by division of the clump of stems.

There is one species of Dioscorea, D. bulbifera (whose common name is Air Potato; see also this site for pictures), that produces aerial tubers (bulbils) that are a means of propagation of the species. It is even considered invasive.

I do not know if division of tubers works with succulent species of Dioscorea, but with the normal vegetable yam species it is possible. My dad and I used to propagate the plant this way, you cut the top part of the tuber from where the vines are formed (the lower portion of the tuber is eaten ), and then slice it in two or three vertical pieces, making sure that each piece contain at least one bud. Let the pieces dry for a week or so, and then plant them back in the garden.

All this talk on how to prepare yams is making me crave to eat some now! Too bad I cannot find it in the markets here

In Brazil We call yam "inhame".

Cheers,

[Julie]

I would like to try yam and prickly pear.

I guess it makes sense that it would not work, after all there are no cells programmed to become caudex cells in the vine. (OTOH, there are no root cells in a piece of fushia twig, but it will still root.)

[Ant]

Maybe it is because the vines are annual, they probably don't contain the right hormones etc to produce roots and remain perennial

[Curtis]

Hi Stuart,

There are some useful comments and photos in Gordon Rowley's book on Caudiciforms.

I recall reading an article that vegetatively propagated plants of D. elephantipes produce a mis-shapen caudex, thus losing much of their inherent symetrical appeal.

regards, Curtis

[MikeT]

I've tried cuttings of elephantipes several times, with no sign of any ever rooting. D. globosa produces small tubers in the leaf axils, and they will root and grow new plants fairly readily, bit prone to drying up if small.

I found that rooting bits of the vine from Kedrostis was easy, but the caudexes produced were like dahlia tubers in shape, instead of the single caudex from a seed grown plant. I tried pruning off most of the bits, but just ended up with a single caudex that had a stem that insisted on growing out at a peculiar angle.

[David_K]

Hi Marlon,
We'll have to check out Milton Keynes Market when you come here in February. There are quite a number of ethnic vegetable stalls there selling mostly things I don't even recognise so a yam is quite a possibility.