Dioscorea bulbifera

[Aloenut]

Hi All,

I bought myself a Dioscorea bulbifera in the spring when dormant. It duly came up in April/May and has been doing well since. Incidently it is indoors on a windowsill. Although most of my other summer growing Dioscoreas in the greenhouse are going dormant this one is still in full growth.

Does anyone else have any experience with this species?
Should I continue to water? Or stop and force into dormancy?

Thanks
Aloenut

[lenbell]

I've only got experience with D elephantipes, and I water that every now and then whilst it is still in leaf. It usually stops making new growth round about now, but holds its leaves till springish.
Geoff Lovell will probably tell you more.

[Geoff Lovell]

Aloenut...If it is in good growth then continue to feed and water, with Dioscoreas they are erratic growers but like most plants that are still active, give them what they want.
Incidentally my elephantipes is still growing strongly and flowering like lens plant and I will continue to feed and water until it goes dormant.

[David_K]

With Elephantipes the more water it gets the faster it grows and the more fissured and deeper the tubercles tend to be.
Remember to watch out for seed of this in the Society list in December.