Air Potatoes Dioscorea bulbifera

[Trinette]

Hi all

There has been lots of talk about potatoes and all the problems associated with growing them, anyone heard of this one?

Wikipedia has quite a bit of info but basically they seem to be a quick growing,perennial vine that grow edible tubers. 

I became interested when someone I work with told me about a vine that he found growing in Southport with tubers on it at the moment. I'm going to have a look at during the week but was wondering if anyone has heard of/seen/grown these around Brisvegas? 

Wikipedia says that it can be very invasive as it  grows quickly and blocks out shade to everything underneath it, would it be safe under a close eye?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Trinette]

and here's the link to wiki - sorry forgot!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioscorea_bulbifera

[Elaine de Saxe]

Tried for the first time ever, one of the potatoes just recently. Went to the Redcliffe Botanical Gardens for a herb event and was given the 'air potato'. What I didn't find out was where to get a vine. I'll have a bit of a dig about and see what I can find especially if I can get in touch with that particular herb club. Anyway ... the 'potato' was like a waxy potato but with a very thick skin. Peel the skin off - I steamed it in halves - and enjoy just like an ordinary potato. Got a lot to recommend it since it will grow here readily. With any vine and some more than most, you do have to keep them controlled. The secateurs are a gardener's best friend.

[Trinette]

Thanks Elaine, I think the fallen "potatoes", will shoot and grow into a new vine (i'm imagining like a sweet potato kinda vine.
So did it taste as good as a "real potato"? I think i'll give it a go, just have to go foraging for the lil fellas...

[Elaine de Saxe]

Oh yes, for mashing it would be superb. We ate it steamed just as it came. Waxy don't do chips or baking too well but the flavour was up there with the best spuds.

We only got the one so no chance to try and grow it. Thought to try it first rather than wait like I did for the Yakon only to find it tasted truly awful. What a waste of garden space.

Sweet Potatoes will climb but if it's anything like the 'yam' Dioscorea, it will be a small-leaved small-stemmed stem-twiner and probably vigorous if the weedy note is anything to go by. There are native Dioscoreas ('yam') which are indigenous to Mount Glorious among other rainforests. So I'm expecting an enthusiastic grower.

If you run any tubers to earth, please let's know since getting in touch with the Peninsular Herb Club hasn't worked so far and Green Harvest don't mention them. Although off topic GH regard Brazilian Spinach as rare!

[Linda Brennan]

Don't you like the Yakon Elaine?
I find them really nice :) Best raw as they are sweet and crunchy. Great with a pesto dip or fetta and sundried tomatoes. Our whole family loves them baked with spuds and pumpkin a little garlic, salt and pepper and away you go.

[Donna]

Trinette, be careful you don't get this one by mistake... I have it and it is impossible to get rid of.

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/4790_7313.htm

[Scarlett]

mine's almost gone - have just pulled it out every time i see it growing for 5 years - almost completely gone - i don't remember seeing it for about a year (although I bet it's still there)

[Donna]

I must admit that after being a *total* pain for two years, it isn't as bad but I still have to be aware as it pops up everywhere and if I don't look closely enough I'll see it twined in amongst another plant and sure enough more of those painful, bothersome little air root bulb thingies that then become next years problem grr. Now I have chooks I will see if they like it, better than binning it - cant even add it to the compost!

Anyway, now my rant is over - glad to know there is an end in sight Scarlett, only another three years to go! yay :)

[Trinette]

thnaks ill have a good look at it before i bring some home

[Florence]

Jerry Coleby-Williams from Gardening Australia have mentioned an arial potato more than once... I don't know where to get them though... this would probably be more practical than growing cocoyam in a suburban backyard, but the cocoyam looked really impressive at Margaret & Brian's place ...

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2607567.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2545801.htm

[Elaine de Saxe]

Looking further afield for planting material hasn't produced any definite leads yet. However I have found several references to the weed potential of this plant. Since the Greening Australia nursery at the Gap stocks or did stock this plant it looks as though it's an indigenous plant.

Searching Google with the botanical name gets a lot of references, just using 'air' or 'aerial' only gets results like aerial photography - how it can mix up potatoes and photographs I don't know!

[Trinette]

thanks florence, I hadn't seen these articles before