Water yam
7
3
3Will it grow where I live?
Water yam is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
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Profile
- Family
- Dioscoreaceae
- Habit
- perennial
- Height
- 15 m
- Spread
- 6 m
- Growth
- fast
- Lifespan
- 10 years
- First yield
- after 1 year
- Hardiness
- zone 10–13
- Shade tolerance
- partial shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- semi-dry – very moist
- pH
- 5.5 – 7
Uses
Frequently asked questions
Water yam: how big does it get?
Water yam (Dioscorea alata) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 15 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 6 m. Growth is fast.
Water yam: what site does it need?
Water yam tolerates partial shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range semi-dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.
Water yam: is it hardy?
Water yam is listed as hardy in zone 10–13 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Water yam: will it grow in Central Europe?
Water yam is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 10): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. The summer heat it needs to ripen is out of reach outdoors in Central Europe – greenhouse or conservatory.
Water yam: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Water yam. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Water yam: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 7/10, Medicinal 3/10, Other uses 3/10.
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