Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

[mikethecactusguy]

It takes years to grow a plant larger enough to sell. Than it takes years for that plant to grow large enough to start to show the wanted caudex characteristics. The poached plants that I see on ebay seem to come in waves. The sellers are usually in Texas or New Mexico. The root systems are almost nonexistent since they have been ripped out of the ground. I thought I could grow one. Unfortunately ,the 2 i did receive got sidetracked for weeks in the postal system. So when these get dehydrated the caudex shrinks. That causes the surface to crack open exposing the interior to infestation and disease. I thought the second one had a chance. When it was shipped, the growth point showed some green. It arrived with some heft to it so I thought it had potential. but then it developed the white mold instantly when I unpacked it. The roots never came to life and it shrunk. When a piece fell off of the caudex, the inside was black and crawling with mites.
Lesson learned.

[A_G_R]

That's a shame that you couldn't save it Mike, we just have to keep looking till we find some seed growing D mexicana

[mikethecactusguy]

Desert Creations here in Northridge Ca sells both Elephantipes and Mexicana. The only other place you find Mexicana are on e-bay. Which now that I think about is interesting. Why don't growers in North America cultivate Mexicana instead of Elephantipes?

[mikethecactusguy]

I may have answered my own question. I just did a search for seeds. All sellers I checked have Elephantipes. No one has Mexicana in stock.

[mikethecactusguy]

Yesterday this one was dormant. Today its active.

IMG_20200906_132835.jpg (96.98 KiB) Viewed 3861 times

IMG_20200906_132827.jpg (101 KiB) Viewed 3861 times

[WayneByerly]

I have read, that the bulb likes to be shaded and cooler, like growing under a tree. The vine part can take sun.

Thanks for pointing me to this post... the above is exactly what I have read everywhere i went everytime i did any research on this genus.

[mikethecactusguy]

Sorry all
packing and moving can take it out of you. So here is the big guy on Oct 2nd. 3 weeks after we have moved. This one has really taken to the desert heat and intense light.

20201002_150014-001.jpg (135.2 KiB) Viewed 3732 times

20201002_150021-001.jpg (138.52 KiB) Viewed 3732 times

The top half of the vine on the Mexicana dried up. It still has its green growth point and the lower portion is still alive. One of the smaller elephantipes immediately went into dormancy and the sylvatica when dormant also. I have not coddled any of the plants. It was 110 degrees when we arrived in Indio and all the plants were placed outside and under the large shade sail.
This is a harsh environment. In Los Angeles they were indoors. 78 degree temps max with bright light. Now its 110 degrees and intense sunlight. They may start to exhibit their natural growth tendencies now. As it cools down and gets into the 80's consistently, they may start "winter" growing.

[mikethecactusguy]

Here is everything a week after moving to the desert.

20201002_150108.jpg (139.54 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

20201002_150116.jpg (130.64 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

20201002_150123.jpg (157.6 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

20201002_150128.jpg (134.32 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

20201002_150145.jpg (143.55 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

20201002_150148.jpg (141.14 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

20201002_150152.jpg (136.49 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

Care did not change. They all were watered almost daily since the soil dries out very fast here. You can see the 3 that did not take to the heat.

[mikethecactusguy]

Here they are today.

20201008_083927.jpg (134.54 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

20201008_083936.jpg (130.27 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

[mikethecactusguy]

Here is the Big Elephantipes today. So 6 days later. The vine itself has not grown much but the offshoots are growing like weeds.

20201008_084010.jpg (94.12 KiB) Viewed 3724 times

20201008_084020.jpg (117.37 KiB) Viewed 3724 times

20201008_084030.jpg (119.9 KiB) Viewed 3724 times

Forgot to mention that when I got here this one was still in its square pot. It did not look happy. So I transplanted it into this larger bowl.
That is when the offshoots went crazy. I was afraid that transplanting it during the growing period would slow things down. It did not obviously.

[mikethecactusguy]

I keep saying it. These plants never cease to amaze. Yesterday the Mexicana looked like it had been shocked by heat. This morning right at the point where the vine dried out, a new 2" offshoot has sprouted.

20201009_080639.jpg (48.78 KiB) Viewed 3680 times

Even though the vine died back since the lower section was still"green" I did continue to water it. The pot was drying out every other day. Good thing I did not give up on it.
Here is the Big elephantipes this morning

20201009_080455.jpg (104.84 KiB) Viewed 3680 times

20201009_080507.jpg (67.37 KiB) Viewed 3680 times

20201009_080514.jpg (109.46 KiB) Viewed 3680 times

20201009_080532.jpg (108.89 KiB) Viewed 3680 times

20201009_080658.jpg (120.77 KiB) Viewed 3680 times

If you look back at the beginning of this thread, this plant did not open its leaves until the vine had matured. Looks like its doing that again. All my other elephantipes would start opening up leaves as the vines were growing.

[mikethecactusguy]

Hi All
Two new specimens added today to the Dioscorea Family
2- really nice Dioscorea Hemicrypta. I should have takken pictures before potting them They are like an Iceberg. 2/3rds of the caudex is buried. So these are long.

PXL_20201015_005812339.jpg (106.06 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

PXL_20201015_005812642.jpg (106.29 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

PXL_20201015_005823993.jpg (108.07 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

PXL_20201015_005830215.jpg (109.62 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

PXL_20201015_005836966.jpg (119.57 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

PXL_20201015_005914872.jpg (125.11 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

PXL_20201015_005924371.jpg (89.99 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

PXL_20201015_005931887.jpg (125.33 KiB) Viewed 3612 times

[mikethecactusguy]

Now that I have space, I think I will start to add to the Dioscorea Collection.
Picture also of the bigger Elephantipes. Starting to look more like a tree with all the vines branching out.

[mikethecactusguy]

I Have 2 more Hemicrypta coming from a seller on ETSY. I'll take pre-potting pictures to show the lower half of these .

[mikethecactusguy]

The 2 Hemicrypta arrive today.
As promise a view before potting

20201023_082628.jpg (158.43 KiB) Viewed 3505 times

20201023_082632.jpg (161.96 KiB) Viewed 3505 times

20201023_082644.jpg (128.02 KiB) Viewed 3505 times

20201023_082653.jpg (121.27 KiB) Viewed 3505 times

The caudex is similar to the other elephantipes at this age , Just longer.