Dioscorea elephantipes (100 seeds)

Dioscorea elephantipes (100 seeds)

Family: Dioscoreaceae

Common names: turtle back, elephant’s foot, Hottentots’ bread

It is one of the most beautiful, weird and wonderful, caudiciform plants . It has a deeply fissured surface, resembling an elephant’s foot. It is a perennial geophytic climber and is winter growing. It is summer deciduous and is a perennial geophytic climber. In summer the leafless plant conserves energy by dropping its leaves in October, just before the onset of the summer heat.

Sowing instructions: The seeds, which are winged, should be sown in flat seed pans. They should be covered with a sowing medium not deeper than 5 mm. Use sandy loam with very well-rotted compost. Move to a sunny location. Sow the seeds in autumn.

Locality: Ladismith. Harvest: October 2024