Air Potato

I'm having fun doing some "window shopping" and trying to plan my plantings. It's going to be hard to go slowly, but I really want to plant a few things this year and see how it goes before adding more next year. My problem is I want everything I see!

I really want some vines climbing the fence. I have three corms from something I've always called "potato vine". We had it planted at our old house, and I see it all over the place. So when Hubby brought some home (donated by a co-worker) I put them away for spring planting. I figured I could use them for a blanket of foliage for the flowering vines to grow on.

But I wanted to know more about it, so I went to my trusty friend Google. At first I couldn't find anything out. Using the term "potato vine" to search resulted in nothing but sweet potato vines. Finally by adding the term "seeds" and searching for images I was brought to information on "air potatoes". They really do look beautiful....



Well, I can tell you I'm torn about planting these seeds in my garden after reading this article. Wow - it is actually illegal to introduce or even POSSESS this plant in Alabama and Florida! I knew they were spread easily, and I knew that they produce hundreds of seeds (if not more) on a single plant. That's why people take them to work to give to co-workers, I guess. I just had no idea they were such a threat. They sound potentially as bad as kudzu...which certainly looks majestic but I wouldn't wanna live there!

Kudzu Invasion:


There is a picture on the page above of an air potato invasion.

I had these vines for years at my old house, with no problems. Usually the corms would fall to the ground and I would save a few to plant in the spring and give the rest away or just toss them. My parents had them climbing pine trees at their house, also with no problem. They aren't listed as an invasive species for Louisiana...

I need to think about this some more.