Meet the Air Potato, an Invasive Vine (Part I) January 29, 2013
The air potato, Dioscorea bulbifera) is an invasive species. How
Invasive is it? It is so invasive … that some communities stage
annual round-ups where they collect tons of the tubers
(bulbils). It is so invasive … that it has been listed as one of
Florida’s most invasive plant species since 1993 and, in 1999,
the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
placed it on the Florida Noxious Weed List. It is, in short,
among the most aggressive weeds ever introduced into Florida. It
was brought to the Americas from Africa during the slave trade
and introduced into Florida in 1905. It has spread throughout
the state. The air potato is a twining vine. It grows fast – up
to eight inches per day. It can grow 70 feet or more in length.
Do the math: it can get that long in less than two weeks! It
typically climbs to the tops of trees and utility poles and can
overtake native plants. It gets its name from the aerial tubers
(bulbils) which are