Dioscorea montana ssp. sylvatica Y. $ Southern Africa: Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, RSA

|3-5 cm Ø|Every year, this rarely offered caudex plant grows strong climbing trunks that can grow up to 5 meters long in one season and create a beautiful shade roof. The pretty elongated heart-shaped leaves are a real eye-catcher. The plants prefer to grow in light shade, so the caudex is protected from excessive heat. The above-ground caudex is reminiscent of the shape of a mountain - hence the name D. montana. According to various sources, the caudex develops much faster if it is cultivated underground in the first few years. With increasing age, the surface of the caudex lignifies and a deeply furrowed bark develops.Dioscorea goes through growth and rest periods over the course of the year, which usually vary according to location, culture, but also depending on the plant.During the growing season, Dioscorea sylvatica needs to be watered and fertilized regularly. Important: before the next watering, the plant and substrate must be dry again. During the dormant period in summer, all leaves are shed. With the first leaf wilt, watering is reduced and eventually stopped. In autumn, the first light green leaves appear, after which small amounts of water are again given.Sometimes the plant ignores its actual growing season of fall through spring and lets its tendrils grow well into the dormant season, or it puts out new tendrils much earlier than expected. As always, it is advisable to focus primarily on the plant, the calendar is an aid for rough orientation.The dioecious flowers appear in loose, pendulous, creamy white to bright light green clusters (panicles) up to 12 cm long.Dioscorea sylvatica is native to southern Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Western Cape).The plant is quite common in its nativ regions, but grows very slowly, the generation time is estimated at 30 years. The 1950s saw a massive population decline as a result of commercial harvesting for the production of diosgenin, a substance used to make cortisone and other steroid hormones.Another threat comes from grazing and illegal collection by plant hunters. The plants can be propagated easily from seed - just like the plants offered here.

additional information:
Caudex- or pachyform plants. Forming ball-, disk- or bottle-like body (stem or roots). Very attractive and unique plants.

These plants were imported recently from nurserys from the United States, Thailand, or other countries. You will find very pretty plants with typical coloured spines, or ready for flowering. All plants are freshly potted, but may not be rerooted. In some cases there are only very few plants available.