Greater Yam / Ube
Greater Yam / Ube / Purple Yam / Water Yam
Dioscorea alata
Crop overview
- Crop group
- Tropical Tuber Vine
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Growth habit
- Large, Vigorous Twining Yam Vine Grown For Substantial Underground Tubers And Sometimes Producing Aerial Bulbils
Covers Dioscorea alata including purple-fleshed ube cultivars and other greater/water yams. Ube refers to purple-yam forms of this species, not purple sweet potato.
Variety examples
Purple ube, White-fleshed greater yam, Water yam
Quick facts
- Plant spacing
- 50 cm – 90 cm
- Row spacing
- 90 cm
- Support height
- 2 m – 3 m
- Support strength
- Heavy
- Support types
- Strong Pole Trellis, Pandal Trellis, Sturdy Wire Trellis, Pergola, Strong Fence
- Training method
- Twining
- Vertical suitability
- Recommended
- Sun requirement
- Full Sun
- Days to harvest
- 210–300 days
Support & training
Training requirements
Direct vigorous shoots onto strong poles, ropes or an overhead trellis early. Avoid allowing the vine to smother nearby crops.
Pruning requirements
Normally trained rather than heavily pruned. Remove diseased foliage and unwanted bulbils, and cut dead vines at harvest.
Growing setup guidance
Container
Minimum size: 75 L
Plants per container: 1
Use an exceptionally large, deep container and a strong trellis. Root restriction reduces the potential size of the storage tuber.
Raised bed
A deep raised bed or mound can simplify harvest and improve drainage. Install a strong trellis before vines elongate.
In-ground
Grow in deep, fertile, well-drained soil or on mounds/ridges. Give the underground tuber ample space and train new shoots promptly.
Planting, pollination & harvest
Sowing / transplanting
Plant healthy seed-yam pieces or small tubers into warm soil as the wet or warm growing season begins. Train the first shoots as soon as they emerge.
Pollination
Pollination is not required for the tuber crop.
Warnings
Cook tubers before eating and identify the species correctly. Some forms produce aerial bulbils and can spread aggressively; Dioscorea alata is invasive in some warm regions, so prevent unwanted escape.
General notes
A true yam, not a sweet potato. Greater yam is a tropical food vine capable of producing very large underground tubers and benefits strongly from staking or trellising.
Climate guidance
Climate suitability: Specialist
Planting season
Plant only after soil is fully warm and frost danger has passed
Northern hemisphere months
May-Jun
Southern hemisphere months
Nov-Dec
Wet / dry season
Provide ample water through the hot growing season.
Soil temperature
Warm soil is essential.
Frost sensitivity
Frost kills vines.
Heat sensitivity
Generally tolerant of hot summers with moisture.
Humidity / disease
Avoid waterlogged soil.
Sowing guidance
Use pre-sprouted planting material to maximise season length.
Notes
Only practical where the frost-free hot season is unusually long.