Elephants Foot (Dioscorea Elephantipes)

The Elephant’s Foot, or Dioscorea Elephantipes, is an African caudex succulent well known for its impressive above-ground tuber resembling an elephant’s foot or tortoise shell.  These plants will go through a slight dormancy at some point of the year, generally during the summer in Australia. 

Once vines are completely dried, they can be trimmed back, but not too close to the tuber as s to damage it.  

New leaves will start to sprout in mid-summer.  Creeping vines are complete with small green heart shaped leaves.  Tiny sweet smelling flowers appear in early winter.

If the plant is continued to be watered through this period on a weekly basis the dormancy will be short (6-8 weeks). Withholding water completely will result in a longer dormancy and if plants are left dormant for too long they can be harder to revive.

Grown best in a bright position with some morning sun if possible.

The plant shown is one of the plants in store.  They are available in 15cm plastic grower pots (terracotta or black).