Yam, Chinese

The true Yam is a tropical tuber, remarkable for its enormous underground size if not harvested (up to 50 kg per tuber). Normally in the tropics, the plant is harvested after 10-12 months of growth and then weighs approximately 1 kg. Yam likely came into cultivation around 3000 BC in Asia and spread from there to Africa. By now, the importance of Yam is comparable to potatoes in our regions! The tubers are boiled, baked, fried, made into flour and dough, and of course: chips! The plant remarkably thrives in our climate, and in well-drained locations, with good winter protection, the plants survive perfectly outdoors! However, the above-ground part of the plant completely dies off. Enjoy the special growth of this climbing plant: in the first year, the plant grows to over 1 meter high, and in subsequent years, the plant shows increasingly vigorous growth and can produce vines 3-6 meters long. The glossy, heart-shaped leaves have striking veins. Planted in the sun, the plants will flower after 2-3 years: inconspicuous, but wonderfully fragrant, greenish-white flowers on long clusters (thousands per plant), the intense cinnamon scent fills the entire garden in summer.
Most striking are the small aerial tubers, which grow on the stems all over the plant and provide an ideal reserve for propagation. A large harvest of aerial tubers makes for an exclusive meal of baked "baby potatoes." Also, let a few plants grow in a pot: as a houseplant or container plant outdoors, it's an annual delight! The cultivation from a bulbule (which we supply) to a harvestable tuber takes 3 years. Then, one or more tubers of 60-70cm in length will have formed, finger-thick at the top, wrist-thick at the bottom. So ensure loose soil, raised beds, or something that gives the root free play. A bit of digging is part of harvesting. Afterwards, you can replant the thin upper part of the harvested tubers (15-20 cm) and harvest again after 2 years. It is therefore useful to always have one- and two-year-old plants in the garden, so you can harvest every year. This is actually related to cassava or manioc, which is planted in a permanent plot of garden and then dug up in times of need. But just like manioc, they are too delicious to wait for that! Plants are perfectly hardy, just leave them in place. Each year the old tuber shrivels and fresh new tubers are formed. The young shoots emerge quite late in May and then truly shoot up. Due to the stored reserves from the old tuber, the mature plant grows to a considerable height in a few weeks. You can grow them on bamboo stakes like beans or along a (warm) wall. It is an easy crop; no diseases or pests are known. The tubers can be stored in a cool place (for example, in the cellar or shed) with potatoes until the next harvest, so you can eat Yam all year round.

Names:
Latin: Dioscorea opposita
Dutch: Chinese Yam
Also: Breadroot / Air Potato / Lightroot
English: Chinese Yam