A fascinating plant.
Dioscorea elephantipes (syn. Testudinaria
elephantipes), also commonly known as turtle back, elephant's foot,
Hottentots' bread is one of the most beautiful, weird and wonderful,
caudiciform plants around!
It has a deeply fissured surface, resembling
an elephant's foot, hence its common name. It makes a most interesting
container plant. The stems grow in a climbing fashion. The leaves are
heart-shaped. Flowers are pale greenish yellow and normally appear in
winter.
It is believed the Khoisan used to bake the starchy, bread-like trunk
which was used as a food source. Other members in the genus Dioscorea
are used to extract steriodal saponins which are used to produce
cortisone and and contraceptives.
Easily grown in any well drained inorganic soil.
Seed Source: Dioscorea elephantipes
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