Dioscorea villosa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- dy-oh-SKOR-ee-uh vil-OH-suh
- Description
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Wild Yam is a perennial vine found in moist forests and woodlands in eastern Canada and the U.S.A. Individual plants are either male or female. The flowers on a male are panicles and appear in clusters of 1 to 3 along the branches. The tiny flowers are 1/8" across, each having 6 white-green or yellow-green tepals and 6 fertile stamens. Female flowers appear on 3-9" racemes of 5-15 flowers that develop from the leaf axils. They too are tiny flowers, 1/8" in size. The female flowers are replaced by 1" capsules that contain 1-2 seeds.
This plant is at its best when grown in full sun. It will take some shade, but will not produce flowers or seeds.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: No notable problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Dioscorea
- Species:
- villosa
- Family:
- Dioscoreaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Has been used medicinally
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada, U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV
- Wildlife Value:
- It provides nesting and cover for birds and some small animals.
- Play Value:
- Textural
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Vine
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Brown fruit displays from September to November. Capsules are 3-sectioned, each containing 2 seeds, occasionally 1 seed. These green capsules ripen to brown.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Raceme
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Greenish-yellow flowers bloom from April to June. Flower inflorescence differs between male and female plants.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are arranged in an alternate pattern with the exception of near the base of the vine, where they can be opposite or whorled. With smooth margins, the 2-4" x 1 1/2-3" leaves are veined with 7 to 11 veins per leaf. The upper surface is smooth, while the lower is sparsely short-pubescent.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The stems vary in color from light green to pale yellow to reddish-green or dark red.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
