Help Identify Porch Shade Vine

[Hawkeye]

When I was a young tot, I remember my grandmother on my daddy''s side growing a vine on the south porch every year which provided a nice natural shade to the porch. It ran from the ground to the top of the porch on poles or twine and had large, uniform, heart-shaped leaves.

Someone a few years ago gave me some seed that looked sort of like like a new potatoes. I planted them on the south side of my carport patio and provided a trellis. They did provide a very nice shade screen which looked just like my grandmother's and produced many more potato looking fruit or seed. I never new the botanical name of it and nicknamed it the monkey nut vine as the seed pods looked like they could have been monkey nuts (testicles : - ).

I grew these for several years on porch and fence rows, giving away many seeds to interested folk, but one year I got sick or lazy and let my seed freeze during the winter. I want some more but don't know what to look for or ask for. I guess I will attempt to google it but thought one of you might know what I'm talking about.

Anyone know the real name of the Monkey Nuts Vine?

[Hawkeye]

Hello Mr. Hawk. Mr. Google here. Could it be this plant that some call the "monkey balls vine" or the "air yam"?

http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu/image.asp?imageID=720

Why yes, yes it is Mr. Google. Thank you so much! You're almost as smart as SoMssTV. :rolleyes:

[Flowergirl]

It certainly is! Air potato( Dioscorea Bulbifera) is an exotic invasive that has spread like jungle fever throughout Florida and South Alabama. Enviromental minded Floridians are waging ecological war against this pretty vine as we speak.

It is a gorgeous, lush vine which produces prolific little tubers that look like potatoes. They will take root and grow most anywhere. My advice is to not grow them. If you must...grow them in a pot and pick off immature tubers and destroy them by fire or squash them by stomping and when you are certain they will not sprout, put in ziplok bag to rot before putting them into landfill.

The shiny heart shaped leaves are captivating and they are super easy to grow, every garderers dream, but as always, if it seems to good to be true it probably is. Air potatoes will get away from you!

[Hawkeye]

Well dayuum FG, I knew when I saw "Invasive" on the pages I googled up that I'd be hearing from you soon. When I read they were in the Yam family I thot I may have been missing some meals, but then they said these are bitter and some are even poisonous.

I didn't have a problem with them getting out of hand and as I mentioned, lost my seed to freeze. But, as was also mentioned, I did have mine in raised bed or containers. I kept the bulbs picked as they matured and put them to rest in paper bag for winter. When the frost killed the vines, I pulled them up by the roots and threw them in the burn pile.

Now you will croak as I remembered were I first got my start bulbs. It was at the old Farm Depot on highway 49 where the Salvation Army store is now. I think I paid around $1 ea for them. When I was googling them earlier, the only souce I found for aquiring them was Ebay and they were like 5 for $10. :eek:

I saw on the USDA invasion map where they were totally in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas. These prolly wouldn't be a big risk for folks further north would they?

But you know what, I think everything can be invasive if you let your guard down. It takes no time it seems for an abandoned farm house to be completely overtaken if not cared for. I know around my house its a constant battle to keep things pruned back enough to allow sufficient sunlight into my garden spaces. Pruning is about all Manuel and I have been doing lately. Between my Jap Umbrella Tree and the dang thorny Honey Locust, I've been invaded. These things make gum trees and wild persimmons look like pansies. I'm also finding out that that pretty Black Bamboo I set out a few years ago is a very aggressive plant.... ask Manny about those.

Now the Japanese Umbrella or maybe Parasol is more correct, makes a fast growing and pretty shade tree. It is very wind tolerant and drops few dead limbs. But, it puts out a surface root system like a Magnolia and nothing will grow under them. They also drop Kudzu size leaves in the fall that will kill your grass if you don't keep them raked. You need some saplings? Manny knows where there are plenty. :)

PS: they make guut chicken roost, too. Well, part of the year in the summer the chickens love them cause it cool and they don't get wet when it rains. But stoopid chickens don't know to change roost in winter and then they get wet and freeze to death or become soft targets for hawks and owls.

[Flowergirl]

ROTFLMAO...I didn't mean to burst your bubble. WE are probably pretty safe here to have a few Air Tater's if we are careful. But, remember it is a bit warmer here than it was 20 years ago...IF they get out into the dense forest, they have a measure of protection from the intense cold and take hold.

IF you must have them, do grow them in a container. But why not do a pretty alternative like Moon Vine, IT has gorgeous foiliage and beautiful, fragrant, giant white flowers. I will most eagarly share a start of Moon Vine with you, if you will forgoe the Air Tater'!

Manny was telling me about that Black Bamboo today!

[Hawkeye]

Well, I'll certainly take you up on the moon vine this spring. Can I propagate with cuttings to get about a dozen seedlings? I'm going to give my raised bed by the carport a rest this spring except for some shade vines and bust up some new ground for maters and peas.

I'd be interested to know how you'd approach new ground that has had nothing but grass growing on it for years? I should prolly go ahead, kill the grass and and bust it up a few times this winter, huh?

Have you ever heard that putting down black poly in the summer time is supposed to burn weed seed up to the point they won't germinate or is dat a pigmy of my imagination?

[Flowergirl]

Nope, the black poly thing works. You put down two layers of poly, separated by beer cans, coke cans, empty 4 inch plant post, anything you have around that will create an air chamber between the layers of poly. Leave it in place for 3-6 weeks ( I have heard 4-6 as well) and the soil should be erradicated of weed seed. The thing is you have to plan the year before for the next growing season. I need to do a better job of that!

The moon vine is a member of the sweet potato family called "Impomoae Alba". IT is best to grow from seeds. I will start you a dozen or so when I start mine in late January.
Moon vine is slightly toxic, so make sure the grands don't eat a salad plate full of it. I have not had kids try to eat it, it taste bad anyway.

Morning glories are also close relatives of this pretty night blooming plant.

AS for the new ground, are you planningon planting in it this spring? If so, I would ROund-up the dog out of it. But, I am a bit more liberal with the chemicals than some are.

How large is the area?

[Hawkeye]

Nope, the black poly thing works. You put down two layers of poly, separated by beer cans, coke cans, empty 4 inch plant post, anything you have around that will create an air chamber between the layers of poly. Leave it in place for 3-6 weeks ( I have heard 4-6 as well) and the soil should be erradicated of weed seed. The thing is you have to plan the year before for the next growing season. I need to do a better job of that!

The moon vine is a member of the sweet potato family called "Impomoae Alba". IT is best to grow from seeds. I will start you a dozen or so when I start mine in late January.
Moon vine is slightly toxic, so make sure the grands don't eat a salad plate full of it. I have not had kids try to eat it, it taste bad anyway.

Morning glories are also close relatives of this pretty night blooming plant.

AS for the new ground, are you planningon planting in it this spring? If so, I would ROund-up the dog out of it. But, I am a bit more liberal with the chemicals than some are.

How large is the area?

I have lots of beer cans if you want some they are free. I have lots of morning glory and I like them. Some I planted and some are wild. I like for them to stay were they posed to but dey sho snuck up on de pea patch late summer.

Yeah, this little new patch will be for planting this spring and not very big.... prolly about half the size of your kitchen patch or smaller.

I don't tink de grands will eat de flowers but my youngest son, Will, took him a big bite of dumb cane (difimbackia) one time. Yeah, I know dat ain't spelt right and spell check didn't have a clue neither. Three year old Will took a bite of my dumb cane once on a dare from his older sister. I arrived home from work shortly afterwards and he was foaming at the mouth and couldn't talk. It was funny as hell after I got over it scaring the hell out of me and I got off the hot line with the poison control center. It was then I learned the history of the plant and how it got its nickname.

Hey, if you gots some moon vine seeds, I need to try out my new seed starter thing

[Flowergirl]

In that case, you can start mine and yours!

[Hawkeye]

In that case, you can start mine and yours!
I'll did dat for sho :)