Dioscorea batatus

Originating from China and Japan, a perennial twining vine with edible roots. It has slender stems up to 2-3.5 m long that die out every autumn. Underground tubers, large, elongated, called, in its country of origin, sweet potatoes. Leaves dark green, lustrous, cordate, 7 to 9-veined are green or reddish-purple colored along the leaf margins, petioles, and stems. Flowers are small, white and have a cinnamon fragrance. In autumn small brown tasty, with a nut flavour edible bulbils appear in the axils of leaves. The lower part of the plant is very often devoid of leaves.
Best grown in a warm sunny position. It’s not fully hardy, hence before winter it’s advisable to cover an area of about 100cm in diameter around the plant with e.g. bark mulch thus creating an isolation layer that will help protect the roots. Thrives best in well-drained organic soil, rich in humus, and kept moist but not wet.
An amateur plant, easy in propagation. Excellent for small fences, trellises and other garden supports.