Name that plant

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Details:
  • Date Photo Taken

    05 / 01 / 2013

  • Season Photo Was Taken

    Spring

  • Region Photo Was Taken

    Southeast

  • City

    Carnesville

  • State

    Georgia

  • Posted by

    rcontrer

Notes:

My neighbor shared this bulb/corm with a vine growing out of it. Several were given to her by a lady who only knew them by the name “Rock Vine.” I have searched the Internet to no avail, using every descriptive term I can think of. The vine is a dark reddish brown, and there is a collar between the bulb and the vine that has short spikes that look like they could become roots. I have planted it in a pot, since I don’t know what it is yet. Can anyone help identify this thing? Thanks!

Comments

  • ALISHA LUSK Unregistered says:

    These “air potatoes” have enormous green heart shaped leaves…There is no flower to them. They are great for trellis or use of growing up porch columns. Make great greenery to have around.

    March 29th, 2016 at 9:19am

  • Rhonda Leaf Lover says:

    Well, this is definitely Dioscorea bulbifera, or air potato. I am posting new photos under “Air Potato.” It will now be unpotted and allowed to expire. Thanks for everyone’s help!

    July 27th, 2013 at 11:32am

  • rcontrer Leaf Lover says:

    We’ll see. The spikes between the tuber and the vine are turning into roots, but the vine hasn’t changed any. As soon as we get some leaves, all will probably become clear. I’ll post when we get something. Thanks!

    May 16th, 2013 at 9:58am

  • parityanimal Master Identifier says:

    I don’t think the “potato” tuber looked exactly like the air potato. Still interested in seeing the leaves and/or flowers. 🙂

    May 15th, 2013 at 10:17pm

  • rcontrer Leaf Lover says:

    I’m afraid it must be an air potato, Dioscorea bulbifera, which is an invasive, noxious weed, at least in Florida. This is according to the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. It’s an attractive plant, but apparently grows like kudzu and reproduces like cockroaches, via the “potatoes” (not edible!) it produces along the vine. These drop to the ground and sprout. I believe I’ll be keeping this one in a pot on the porch.

    May 10th, 2013 at 9:00pm

  • parityanimal Master Identifier says:

    I’d be interested in seeing the leaves and/or flowers if/when they happen. 🙂

    May 5th, 2013 at 11:43pm

  • sunnysue2009 Master Identifier says:

    Could it be the (no edible) potato vine?http://homeguides.sfgate.com/potato-vines-22922.html

    May 5th, 2013 at 10:07pm

  • rcontrer Leaf Lover says:

    Thanks, parityanimal! It seems to have some use in traditional Chinese medicine, but I haven’t been able to come up with a photo of the tuber, either. I’ll try to grow it in a pot and see what happens.

    May 5th, 2013 at 6:35pm

  • parityanimal Master Identifier says:

    Could be Radix Tetrastigmatis Hemsleyani or Hemsley’s Rockvine. I don’t know what the tubers actually look like though, or whether that can be grown here.

    May 5th, 2013 at 10:41am

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