Chinese yam
8
8
1Will it grow where I live?
Chinese yam is hardy to zone 5 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 5 upwards.
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Profile
- Family
- Dioscoreaceae
- Habit
- Climber
- Height
- 3 m
- Spread
- 1.5 m
- Growth
- fast
- Lifespan
- 15 years
- First yield
- after 1 year
- Hardiness
- zone 5–10
- Shade tolerance
- partial shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- semi-dry – very moist
- pH
- 5.6 – 7.6
Uses
Origin & habitat
Temperate East Asia, with exact distribution range not known.
In China it occurs in seemingly untouched nature in valleys and on mountainsides. Prefers sunny slopes in the wild.
Frequently asked questions
Chinese yam: how big does it get?
Chinese yam (Dioscorea batatas) grows as a Climber and reaches roughly 3 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 1.5 m. Growth is fast.
Chinese yam: what site does it need?
Chinese 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 5.6 and 7.6.
Chinese yam: is it hardy?
Chinese yam is listed as hardy in zone 5–10 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Chinese yam: will it grow in Central Europe?
Chinese yam is hardy to zone 5 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 5 upwards.
Chinese yam: is it poisonous?
Individual parts of Chinese yam are noted as mildly problematic — the plant does not count as poisonous. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone, only on a confident identification.
Chinese yam: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 8/10, Medicinal 8/10, Other uses 1/10.
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Community experience
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