8 responses |
Laisla starts with ... Hi all I am trying to get my hands on some yams..I have never grown them (nor eaten them) but they look pretty interesting and are eaten by millions world, so Id like to try them. I am looking to get my hands on the real yams, not sweet potatoes which some people call yams erroneously. I am in Cairns. Anyone growing them?
| About the Author Frederick St Cairns 22nd May 2010 5:27pm #UserID: 3720 Posts: 12 View All Frederick St's Edible Fruit Trees |
||||||
Jim says... I'm sure someone will be able to direct you to a place near by since you are in the tropics but if not then via mail order you can try Shipards http://www.herbs-to-use.com/. | About the Author electra Fremantle 22nd May 2010 6:35pm #UserID: 3242 Posts: 112 View All electra's Edible Fruit Trees |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
speedy says... I've grown a few different varieties and species of yam when I lived in subtropics. Dioscorea alata- Winged yam - 2 varieties, a purple and a cream coloured one, both good. D.bulbifera - 'Aerial potato' Cheeky yam - bitter and not worth the trouble if you have better ones D.opposita - Yamaimo- the one used in traditional Japanese recipes. That was years ago. I only have a cream coloured D.alata now, but not growing seriously cause it's not suited to the climate here. My advice would be to go to some local markets and find some Pacific Islander people and ask them. They'll more than likely have several types and might be happy to give or sell you some pieces to grow. or if you found some for sale, grow from them. Use the pieces from the top part of the yam to start with. Either way, you'll find them around Cairns for sure. | About the Author Nth Vic 22nd May 2010 10:08pm #UserID: 0 Posts: View All 's Edible Fruit Trees |
||||||
About the Author John Mc 22nd May 2010 10:14pm #UserID: 3496 Posts: 132 View All John Mc's Edible Fruit Trees |
|||||||
speedy says... Yams do generally have heart shaped leaves but smaller than taro and they grow on a long twining vine usually growing many metres (10-20m) up into trees. one of the key features is that the veins in the leaf all come from where the petiole attaches. It's a dead giveaway to identifying them anywhere in the world. some are slightly poisonous eg. D.bulbifera- in Arnhem land they call it 'cheeky yam', meaning poisonous and needs special preparation before eating. Nothing to worry about though, the bitternes will be an obvious sign. some vines are 'right handed' and some are 'left handed'. D.alata is right handed. ie, grasping the vine with your thumb pointing up and your fingers pointing inthe direction that the vine twines around it's support. so looking from above right handed yams twine anti-clockwise and LH yams twine clockwise. D.bulbifera is left handed. | About the Author Nth Vic 22nd May 2010 10:37pm #UserID: 0 Posts: View All 's Edible Fruit Trees |
||||||
About the Author Mikayla Cairns -edmonton 20th July 2011 6:30pm #UserID: 5564 Posts: 7 View All Mikayla's Edible Fruit Trees |
|||||||
About the Author Melinda1 Numbulwar 28th August 2011 1:27pm #UserID: 5724 Posts: 1 View All Melinda1's Edible Fruit Trees |
|||||||
About the Author CocoNut Sydney 29th August 2011 12:39pm #UserID: 5733 Posts: 2 View All CocoNut's Edible Fruit Trees |
|||||||
About the Author CocoNut Sydney 29th August 2011 12:41pm #UserID: 5733 Posts: 2 View All CocoNut's Edible Fruit Trees |
|||||||