Chinese Mountain Yam or Japanese Nagaimo (Dioscorea polystachya) in 50 mm Squat Tube

Family: Dioscoreaceae (includes several yam species)
Genus: Dioscorea (includes several yam species)

Botanical/Binomial Name: Dioscorea polystachya
Meaning of Name:
Dioscorea, after the Ancient Greek physician, pharmacologist, botanist and author Pedánios Dioskourídēs (Πεδάνιος Διοσκουρίδης), c. 40–90 AD; and
polystachya, from Ancient Greek πολύς (polús, ‘many’) + Ancient Greek στάχυς (stákhūs, ‘ear of wheat’, ‘scion, progeny’): a reference to the aerial tubers?

Common Names: Chinese Yam, Mountain Yam, Nagaimo, Cinnamon Vine, Cinnamon Yam

Botanical Characteristics: Herbaceous | Perennial | Deciduous | Tuberous | Frost hardy
Propagation: Aerial Tubers

Item Description:
Dimensions of the squat tube are 50 mm square or round × 75 mm (square tube) or 70 mm (round tube) deep. These squat tubes produce beautifully straight and deep roots, which gives these young plants every advantage once planted out.

Plants provided are taller than in the photos.

Plant Description:
This yam species is also called the cinnamon yam or cinnamon vine on account of the cinnamon-scented flowers!

This is a perennial vine which dies down in winter. It can reach 3 m high and 1.5 m wide if allowed to grow vertically as with runner beans, or it can be trained into a small bush.

This plant is NOT suitable for pots owing to the large tubers, which can grow up to 1 m long after 6-12 months.

A popular yam in Asia for its large edible tubers with excellent storage. Tubers can be harvested in autumn as the leaves die back, or left in the ground to harvest as required through winter.

The vine additionally produces aerial bulbils (also called tubercles) along the stem, which look like small new potatoes and which can also be eaten like potatoes (fried, boiled, mashed, in stews). These are harvested in summer and autumn.

Growing Information:
This is a very easy-care plant but a vigorous grower, and will need maintenance to keep it under control, as it will readily grow to 3 m. It prefers rich, well-drained soils in part shade.

The tuber can be harvested in winter once the leaves die back. People traditionally cut off only enough tuber as needed, leaving the rest to store in the soil until required again.

The aerial tubers can be harvested for consumption at any time, or planted over winter for new plants to emerge the following late spring.