Is Dioscorea Communis Poisonous?

Is Dioscorea Communis Poisonous?

It’s a poisonous member of the Yam family that’s extremely prevalent in the summer and fall. It is a climber that can grow up to 4m each year.

Saponins, calcium oxalate deposits, and histamines are present in varying amounts in all sections of the plant; they are more prevalent in berries and roots and should not be ingested; merely touching the plant can cause skin irritation and contact dermatitis.

Cooked young shoots are apparently eaten in France and Spain, but it’s not a plant I’d advocate.

How Do I Identify Dioscorea Communis?

Dioscorea Communis, often known as black bryony, lady’s-seal, or black bindweed, is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae.

It is a 2-4 m tall climbing herbaceous plant with anticlockwise twining stems.

The leaves are spirally organized, heart-shaped, up to 10 cm long and 8 cm wide, with a 5 cm long petiole.

It’s dioecious, containing male and female plants. The flowers are greenish-yellow, 3-6 mm in diameter, and have six petals; the male flowers are produced in thin 5-10 cm racemes, while the female flowers are produced in shorter clusters.

The fruit is a brilliant red berry with a diameter of 1 cm. Its enormous tuber is toxic, as is the rest of the plant.

Can You Eat Dioscorea Communis?

Dioscorea Communis is native to and widespread in southern and central Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia, stretching from Ireland to the Canary Islands and east to Iran and Crimea.

Dioscorea Communis is a common plant in the forest understory from the sea to the mountains, generally in dense woodlands but occasionally in meadows and hedges.

The stems, which may grow up to 4m in length and are found in woodlands, meadows, and hedges, are thin and twining. Long, petiolate, and glabrous dark green leaves.

Greenish-yellow blooms and brilliant red berries distinguish this plant. Young branches of the plant can be eaten raw but are commonly cooked and used in salads and omelets.

What Are The Uses Of Dioscorea Communis?

Due to the saponin content of all components of the black bryony plant, including the tubers, it is not normally used internally; nevertheless, it has been used as a poultice for bruising and swollen joints.

Due to the plant’s proclivity to induce painful blisters, it has been advised that black bryony be used topically with caution.

Calcium oxalate deposits and histamines have been found in the berry juice and rhizomes of black bryony, which may lead to skin irritation and contact dermatitis.

Black Bryony is extremely dangerous and should not be consumed, at least not uncooked.

Young shoots are often eaten and cooked in southern France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Croatia.

How Tall Can Dioscorea Communis Get?

Dioscorea Communis, often known as black bryony, lady’s-seal, or black bindweed, is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae.

It is a 2-4 m tall climbing herbaceous plant with anticlockwise twining stems. The leaves are spirally organized, heart-shaped, up to 10 cm long and 8 cm wide, with a 5 cm long petiole.

It’s dioecious, containing male and female plants. Individual blooms are modest, greenish-yellow, and measure 3-6 mm.

How Do You Propagate Dioscorea Communis?

Dioscorea Communis can be propagated by seeds and tubers

Tubers Propagation

Gardeners rely on aerial tubers or root propagation. Begin by separating the root or aerial tubers from the rest of the plant. Unless the tuber is very little, divide it into many segments. Each of these might be a Dioscorea Communis.

The pieces must be cured for a few days after being cut. Otherwise, the new wounds may fade quickly if planted. To expedite the process, dip the cut end in wood ash.

After the pieces have dried, bury them in a pail of dirt and keep them moist. When the young yams sprout, move them to their permanent place.

Seeds Propagation

Seeds can be used to propagate this plant. This is how you can do it;

Collect the seeds when the plant is in full bloom.

Clean and soak the seeds in water for about 24 hours.

Sow them thinly in trays and keep them moist but not wet at 70 F.

Transplant the germinated seeds to the ground when they are four to five inches tall.

What Pests Attract Dioscorea Communis?

Root-knot nematodes attack this plant at its weakest point: the tuber. They will stymie their development, resulting in knots and abnormalities.

Above ground, you’ll see stunted growth and fading foliage. To avoid nematodes, properly till the soil before and after harvesting.

Crop rotation utilizing nematode-resistant plants is also advised. Existing infestations can be treated with nematicides.

Geraniol and quillaja Saponaria-based treatments are good organic options. Instead, add beneficial nematodes to the soil, which will hunt down and remove the root-knot nematodes.

Pests that feed on the juice of Dioscorea Communis include scale insects, aphids, and froghoppers.

They produce honeydew, which attracts ants, another pest that must be eliminated. The easiest approach to avoiding these insects is to avoid them in the first place.

The greatest protection is to keep the soil clean and the plant dry. You may also use rubbing alcohol to eliminate pests one by one by clipping afflicted vines.

If you have a large infestation, consider using insecticidal soap or introducing beneficial predators such as lacewings or ladybugs. Neem oil or horticultural oil might harm their eggs.

Is Dioscorea Communis A Climber?

It is a climbing plant that twines clockwise and has heart-shaped, glossy leaves that turn purple or yellow in the autumn.

The clustered blooms are greenish white with six petals and are followed by brilliant red berries. Although the plant is toxic, sections of it, notably the roots, are used medicinally.

The leaves are heart-shaped and glossy, growing in a spiral around the stems and reaching a length of up to 10cm. As it seeks sunshine, the tiny stalks spiral clockwise around neighboring plants.

How Do You Care For Dioscorea Communis?

A perennial herbaceous climber found in forest borders, scrub, and hedges.

It has thick, meaty roots and 18cm long alternating, glossy heart-shaped leaves.

Small yellow-green blooms with a cinnamon aroma bloom in the summer, followed by round red berries that persist on the shrub until winter. It needs the following to thrive:

Sunlight Requirements

Give full to partial sunlight to your Dioscorea Communis. It flourishes best in tropical and warm conditions because it is native to the tropics. It will also benefit from the sunshine in the early and late afternoon.

Temperature Requirements

It requires a temperature of at least 70°F to be comfortable.

In zones 9-11, these plants can be cultivated as perennials. Otherwise, the weather will only allow this yam to develop infrequently. Freezing temperatures can affect roots and green development.

Water Requirements

Dioscorea Communis tolerates drought but requires consistent rains. Water it whenever the top few inches of soil dry out.

This plant is best suited to drip lines or soaker hoses. To protect the plants from rotting, stop watering them when they begin to die at the end of the growing season.

Requirements For Humidity

Humidity isn’t a problem if you keep the soil wet during the summer.

Soil Requirements

Dioscorea Communis species may grow in a variety of soil types. On the other hand, the soil should have all the ideal features for healthy development.

It should be loamy, fertile, high in organic matter, and well-drained. It is also vital that the soil be loose in order for the tubers to grow easily. A neutral or slightly acidic pH level will suffice.

Fertilizing Requirements

Dioscorea Communis tolerates fertilizer as long as it is nutrient-rich. Before planting, treat the soil with organic ingredients and mulch it.

To boost the plant and aerial tubers throughout the growing season, apply a balanced fertilizer a couple of times.

Is Dioscorea Communis A Vine?

It’s a deciduous vine with underground tubers. Slender stems twine to 3-4m. Leaves are oblong with a strongly cordate base and slender petioles up to 15cm long.

Flowers are around 4mm broad and grow in racemes up to 14cm long. The fruit is around 1cm in diameter, is crimson in color, and contains 1-3 seeds.

Vine with thin glabrous, deeply cordate leaves and black underground tubers. Dioecious, having little flowers in pendulous racemes and abundant crimson fruit.

Is Dioscorea Communis A Perennial?

Dioscorea Communis is a perennial herbaceous climber found in forest margins, scrub, and hedges. It has thick, meaty roots and 18cm long alternating, glossy heart-shaped leaves.

Small yellow-green blooms with a cinnamon aroma bloom in the summer, followed by round red berries that persist on the shrub until winter.

Dioscorea Communis is native to and widespread in southern and central Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia, stretching from Ireland to the Canary Islands and east to Iran and Crimea.