Native plants for wetlands, fields or forests and an eclectic mix of other botanic delights

Dioscoria villosa

Photo Credit:
Stan Kollar
Photo Credit:
Stan Kollar
Status
Out Of Stock
Wild Yam
Beautiful vine for the shady garden
Mature Size:
6
' Height /
6
' Spread
Expected Size:
/
Light Preference:
Part Sun to Shade
Soil Preference:
Moist (Mesic)
Price:
$10.50/1 qt.

Dioscorea villosa is a twining tuberous vine which is native to eastern North America. It is commonly known as Wild Yam, Colic Root, Rheumatism Root, Devil's Bones, and Fourleaf Yam. It is common and widespread in a range stretching from Texas and Florida north to Minnesota, Ontario and Massachusetts. It is currently on the United Plant Savers "At Risk" list. UPS is an organization concerned with the preservation of endangered medicinal plants on the territory of North America.

Grow this attractive vine (mainly for the beautiful, satin leaves) in the shady garden, in a humus substrate, and it would appreciate a small tree, tuteur or trellis upon which to climb. Dioscorea villosa is, according to the Flora of North America, quite variable in shape across its range. It ranges from a small vine with winged stems, tightly packed groups of flowers, variably hairy leaves all the way up to large vines with unwinged stems, large, smooth leaves, and widely spread sprays of flowers. It always has rhizomes spreading underground that can be branched or not.

Dioscorea villosa contains diosgenin, which despite claims is not a phytoestrogen and does not interact with estrogen receptors. Other steroidal saponins are also found in the plant.

There is little modern clinical research on Dioscorea villosa, and the one study of a wild yam-containing cream for menopausal symptoms failed to find any value from this therapy. According to the American Cancer Society, there is no evidence to support wild yam or diosgenin being either safe or effective in humans.

Information adapted from: Wikipedia

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Information

Prices listed are subject to change, based upon size change and availability.

We are a small local nursery with limited shipping capability. We will do our best to ship smaller material (usually 1 or 2 gallon), although we can sometimes ship larger plants with the pots removed.

We have some species that are not listed, as we have too few of them to make a full listing plausible. You can always inquire.

We will consider contract growing an order with appropriate advance notice and availability of seed, cuttings or lining out stock.

Fall Business Hours
Monday
10 - 6
Tuesday
10 - 6
Wednesday
By Appointment
Thursday
10- 6
Friday
10- 5
Saturday
10 - 5
Sunday
11- 4
Kollar Nursery | 5200 West Heaps Road, Pylesville, MD 21132 | 410.836.0500
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