Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
echobelly

Wild potato vine?

echobelly
11 years ago

This vine is growing all along the edge of my property (it would take over if I didn't keep it mowed back). A neighbor said it's a wild potato vine. I did a search and aren't convinced, as that vine has white morning glory type flowers. I've never seen a flower on this vine. The fruit grows along the stems and varies in size from a pea to a baking potato. Does anyone know what this actually is, and is the fruit edible?

Comments (19)

  • starryrider
    11 years ago

    sure looks like a potato vine

  • tryinginfla9b
    11 years ago

    It's an 'Air Potato', extremely fast growing invasive species that rapidly takes over wooded areas. The wild variety growing in Florida is toxic. There has been a lot of discussion of different preparations to leach out the toxins for eating, but I would not risk it.

    Larry

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wikipedia article

  • welcomesite
    11 years ago

    Air Potato vines would cover the chain link fences of a Central Florida place that I rented and made the back yard look pretty exotic, compared to the Wintertime, when they practically disappear.

    I much prefer Crossvine. It keeps its leaves year round in most places and might produce more flowers per square foot than any other plant.

  • echobelly
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    That's it, Air Potato! Thanks! I have to admit I like how it looks, but quickly realized how invasive it is. It's growing on the back of the property line, all on my neighbor's side. I mow right up to the fence line to keep it back, and pull any shoots that make their way into the garden. A search gave mixed results on it's edibility, so I'm not going to risk it.

  • shuffles_gw
    11 years ago

    I called all out war on potato vines in my yard last year. I picked and pulled continually for a year. Always the spuds went into the trash. So far it has worked. One of my neighbors has a big one growing in a 100 foot tree about 75 feet from my yard. All it will take is a good blow and I will have to go back to war. As far as edibility, we used to have a yard rabbit that would chew on them with no apparent adverse effects.

  • echobelly
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I made the mistake a couple of years ago of picking up bags of leaf litter a neighbor kept putting out, mostly pine needles. I used it to mulch the front of the yard where I had pulled up the sod and planted native bushes. I noticed there were some bulbs in it and was curious what wonderful plant would sprout from them. After the first rain, there were little tendrils sprouting all over the place. The guy across the street told me they called them wild potato and if I left them they would take over everything. I pulled and pulled and pulled. I'm still finding new sprouts every once in a while, but I'm determined they don't get established.

  • slopfrog
    11 years ago

    This is not a good thing to have. Do yourself and your neighbors a favor and declare war ASAP!

  • judyk_2008 9a DeLeon Sprs. (NW Volusia)
    11 years ago

    I agree you are fighting a never ending battle. My neighboring property is wooded and covered with it. I can keep it out the grass, but the squirrels spread the potatoes so the vines keep popping up under trees in my yard. Between those vines and wild grapes, you can't even see my fence. Those vines grow so fast, my brother parked a box trailer about 5 ft. from my fenceline. In less than a month, they were climbing over it.

  • good_apple
    8 years ago

    As beautiful as they are, we have had to fight them continuously or they will cover and choke out every living tree in our back yard Florida woods. Round Up sprayed directly on the leaves has done an incredible job. After losing several beautiful, full grown Bay trees and Magnolias, we rescued the others by killing off the Air Potato Vines. We collected the potatoes on the ground and burned them so they would not produce more. When held back, the woods have become passable again. Wild grape vines are also in abundance but are fairly easy to pull down and make wreaths from them.

  • ritaweeda
    8 years ago

    You might want to contact your local extension office and ask them to release some of those beetles that eat them in South or Central America. They released some in my area and they have helped a lot. But whatever you do, get rid of them somehow. I was told that the tubers could be eaten but don't take that to the bank.

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    8 years ago

    I was told that the tubers could be eaten but don't take that to the bank.

    http://www.eattheweeds.com/yam-b-the-bulbifera/

  • echobelly
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Anyone interested in edible wild plants, check out the link above. We've taken one of "Eat the Weeds" classes and it was very informative and a lot of fun. He travels all over the state giving classes in different areas.

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Yes, I agree, echobelly. His classes are well worth attending.

    And if he's not sold on a plant, I wouldn't try it!

  • Corunna Goris
    7 years ago

    Our horrid lazy neighbors just let it go out of control. I guess it's their favorite plant. It's threatening my palmsand crepe myrtle. I spend alot of time and money on my plants. What will kill the crap? Also, I've always heard it's poisonous -

  • sharon's florida
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    The air potato beetle (Lilioceris cheni) will eat the leaves and the vine will die. The little beetles work wonders.

    There is a variety of Dioscorea that looks very similar that is edible and tastes really good. It is called winged yam (Dioscorea alata). I have an article at my site about identification and preparation of the edible Winged Yam.

    I had the air potato beetles show up on their own last year and they ate all of the D. bulbifera, but did not touch the D. alata ... thankfully ... because I will be digging tubers in the winter. I got on the waiting list this year for beetles, but have not been sent any yet. I searched my property for the beetles yesterday and found about half a dozen ... with several mating so my air potato problem will be under control pretty soon. I gave my neighbor a mating pair to put on his air potatoes and he was thrilled. Letting the beetles do the work is so much easier than pulling and digging the stuff in 100 degree heat.

  • apapjim
    7 years ago

    I ordered a carton air potato beetles last summer and they absolutely devoured the leaves. Unfortunately it has no effect on the underground potatoes and this spring they came back with a vengeance. Started pulling them up and thought I was getting somewhere but I was wrong. Most of the time you pull them up the stem breaks loose from the potato. The potato just shoots up another shoot. So I started digging the potatoes up. Looks like I'm finally getting them under control and but the neighbors aren't doing anything with theirs so I can see I'll have an ongoing battle. I was glad to see someone has had luck with Roundup. I just used some myself this past week. Anyone reading this----don't let them get a foothold! A one point they were so thick they caused a 3" oak tree to been over and break in half. This could be the next Kudzu.

  • sharon's florida
    7 years ago

    The beetles killed back the vine enough for my plants and trees to recover and not be killed. I'd rather go with that than poison myself, and every living thing on my property, with Roundup.

  • Babs Fourie
    2 years ago

    Is this vine flowering, is it poisoning, can you eat this

Sponsored
HEMAX Construction Services & Landscaping, LLC
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars34 Reviews
Innovative & Creative Landscape Contractors Servicing VA