Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

This is a place for members to post on-going topics about their plants and experiences.
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

Hi ya OWgave.
looks like a 20yr plus year old plant. Very nice. Where did you acquire it from. Each plant as you have read is unique. Growth rate, vine growth etc. Nice growth for 3 weeks. Yours will be a nice bush. Personally I'd get rid all the rock dressing. Better air circulation. Don't be afraid to soak the soil. Don't just water the perimeter. Also us a diluted cactus fertilizer every other watering. If its above 20% humidity and hot weather . Let it just dry and water again. If you miss a watering I have found the plants show you with leaf droop. Counterintuitive since you would think the caudex would provide moisture for the leaves. I have come to feel the caudex will support initial vine growth when it comes out of dormancy and then requires a regular watering schedule. Only once has one of mine grown a lot of side vines right away. Usually they throw up one long vine and then branch out.
Enjoy the show.
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
OWgave
Posts: 50
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 5:07 pm

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by OWgave »

Hello MTCG-

My wife's De was obtained from Botanical Wonders near San Diego, they have a good selection of De's there, in fact they a few up on Ebay at the moment.

Thank you for the watering and fertilizer tips. As far as the top dressing and decorative rocks, I will mention to my wife that we should remove for better air flow.

Currently, the secondary upright vine has surpassed the main upright vine and of course the side branches has grown into another zip code. Yes, i believe you are right that this De will be heavily bushy....whenever it throws out it's leaves ](*,)

OWgave
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

It is hot today.
The dioscorea are shooting up new vines, which is nice.
20210805_131406.jpg
20210805_131406.jpg (71.36 KiB) Viewed 3762 times
20210805_131416.jpg
20210805_131416.jpg (52.81 KiB) Viewed 3762 times
20210805_131509.jpg
20210805_131509.jpg (104.76 KiB) Viewed 3762 times
20210805_131516.jpg
20210805_131516.jpg (100.61 KiB) Viewed 3762 times
20210805_131520.jpg
20210805_131520.jpg (98.79 KiB) Viewed 3762 times
20210805_131533.jpg
20210805_131533.jpg (89.63 KiB) Viewed 3762 times
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
User avatar
anttisepp
Posts: 1347
Joined: Sat Jul 10, 2010 12:00 pm
Location: Suomi - Finland

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by anttisepp »

Very nice thread Mike, I like to read it, your plants are incredible!
I grow more than 10 years only one elephantipes and it became big enough. It likes to sleep in winter and awoke this year very late. ;)
Antti
Attachments
Testudinaria_elephantipes.jpg
Testudinaria_elephantipes.jpg (67.23 KiB) Viewed 3751 times
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

WOW!!!! that is a beauty. How thick is the vine at the base? It looks like a miniature tree....
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
OWgave
Posts: 50
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 5:07 pm

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by OWgave »

FINALLY, LEAVES!!!! =D> =D> =D> =D>
Sorry, image is a bit stretched due to resizing to be able post.

OWgave
Attachments
Yaaaaay, leaves =)
Yaaaaay, leaves =)
20210807_090958_copy_768x1024.jpg (155.22 KiB) Viewed 3699 times
LateBloomer
Posts: 195
Joined: Thu May 20, 2021 12:15 am
Location: Curitiba, Brasil

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by LateBloomer »

Amazing thread but I have a question... do you guys leave the caudex completely exposed or slightly bury? I'm gonna leave my seedlings alone to expose themselves on their own time... 1 seedling already has out of 4.

I see most people exposing the caudex since an early age so was wondering if air/light exposure to it is needed at an early age.. this thread mentioned so people leave it covered early on not sure why. Just looking for some guidance for a year or two when I repot.
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

Hi Latebloomer.
Let them do their own thing. If you are repotting, they should be set into the soil to the original position. Don't bury them any deeper. They will start growing above ground when ready.
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

I gave the 4 active dioscorea haircuts.
20210807_174501.jpg
20210807_174501.jpg (88.36 KiB) Viewed 3639 times
20210807_174505.jpg
20210807_174505.jpg (81.93 KiB) Viewed 3639 times
20210807_174512.jpg
20210807_174512.jpg (78.17 KiB) Viewed 3639 times
20210807_174518.jpg
20210807_174518.jpg (98 KiB) Viewed 3639 times
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
OWgave
Posts: 50
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 5:07 pm

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by OWgave »

Aug. 14 update.

My wife decided to introduce her De loooong side branches to the sides of its trellis a few weeks ago, creating an Eiffel tower look.

Enjoy,
OWgave
Attachments
Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
20210814_070756_copy_768x1024.jpg (155.42 KiB) Viewed 3587 times
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

A few shots on the progress of the new vines. The mexicana and elephantipes continue to open new leaves and throw out more secondary vines. Its a tangled web at the top of the greenhouse.
20210815_165344.jpg
20210815_165344.jpg (119.29 KiB) Viewed 3557 times
20210815_165352.jpg
20210815_165352.jpg (110.37 KiB) Viewed 3557 times
20210815_165358.jpg
20210815_165358.jpg (114.84 KiB) Viewed 3557 times
20210815_165409.jpg
20210815_165409.jpg (107.13 KiB) Viewed 3557 times
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
OWgave
Posts: 50
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 5:07 pm

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by OWgave »

Hello De Lovers-

My wife's De has bloomed and i think its a female. What do you folks think?

Thanks
OWgave
Attachments
FEMALE?
FEMALE?
Screenshot_20210826-130116_Message+_copy_768x1024_1.jpg (57.26 KiB) Viewed 3509 times
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

The Plants are not doing well with the 117 degree heat. 2 small plants dried up. The Vines on some are dying back. Even the vine on the largest elephantipes suddenly died of at the tip. This high heat and less than 10% humidity is just killing them.
20210829_083816.jpg
20210829_083816.jpg (130.13 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
20210829_083822.jpg
20210829_083822.jpg (145.22 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
20210829_083847.jpg
20210829_083847.jpg (133.96 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
20210829_083905.jpg
20210829_083905.jpg (144.25 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
20210829_083910.jpg
20210829_083910.jpg (135.97 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
20210829_083915.jpg
20210829_083915.jpg (140.23 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
20210829_083919.jpg
20210829_083919.jpg (121.4 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
20210829_083946.jpg
20210829_083946.jpg (97.71 KiB) Viewed 3470 times
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

So what is going on with all the Dioscorea. The 3 largest plants are alive . The Large Mexicana appears to be adding to the caudex. A few fissures have opened a little. I am hoping its not the opposite and the plant is dying and shrinking. All the other smaller ones are either semi-active or dormant. I'm hoping they are just reacting to the intense heat over the past 3 months and will become active again. The small mexicana lost all its roots but has not dried up yet. I continue to moisten all the dormant plants weekly.
20210925_073025.jpg
20210925_073025.jpg (89.72 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073031.jpg
20210925_073031.jpg (94.71 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073041.jpg
20210925_073041.jpg (87.04 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073048.jpg
20210925_073048.jpg (104.77 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073052.jpg
20210925_073052.jpg (112.36 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073055.jpg
20210925_073055.jpg (101.77 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073101.jpg
20210925_073101.jpg (98.09 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073116.jpg
20210925_073116.jpg (97.2 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
20210925_073119.jpg
20210925_073119.jpg (85.8 KiB) Viewed 3013 times
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
User avatar
mikethecactusguy
Posts: 2173
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:51 am
Location: Indio Ca
Contact:

Re: Cultivation of a Dioscorea Elephantipes.

Post by mikethecactusguy »

Its been 6 months since I updated this blog. All the Hemicrypta dried up and died. Maybe to small for the 115°f heat wave we had at the end of October. Here are a few pictures that are current. The Caudex' on these have been growing. The Mexicana and 3 Elephantipes. The vines are just now dying off.
DSC_1328.JPG
DSC_1328.JPG (83.48 KiB) Viewed 2607 times
DSC_1406.JPG
DSC_1406.JPG (81.36 KiB) Viewed 2607 times
DSC_1407.JPG
DSC_1407.JPG (87.17 KiB) Viewed 2607 times
DSC_1408.JPG
DSC_1408.JPG (100.67 KiB) Viewed 2607 times
DSC_1409.JPG
DSC_1409.JPG (100.41 KiB) Viewed 2607 times
Mike The Cactus Guy
Enjoying the Spines
Post Reply