Hi all. First post, happy to be here. So I wanted to ask... ¿What's the deal with the Air Potato? And I mean legally. I've often read claims that even the edible types are illegal in the US, but I haven't seen it listed in any Federal-level noxious weed or prohibited plant lists, only State-level. Granted, it's usually the only states capable of growing a decent crop of it, but the distinction stands, it's not strictly illegal in the broader US. Unless I've missed something. ¿Have I missed any legislation on the matter?
I did an ultraquick bit of digging. Found two sites that both indicate it is legal in some parts of the US, but not Florida and a few other locations.
Edible Acres has a species of it for sale and This Site gives a little information on their origins and how they were originally brought to Florida.
The wild varieties are already in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, so those locations may be ones where it is a problem and considered invasive. I imagine looking closer at the individual statues for each area (Florida notwithstanding) would be needed to confirm this. Apparently in those locations it acts a lot like the Kudzu that was brought to Tennessee. It overtakes all the natural vegetation, strangling out everything else by smothering out sunlight from reaching them. Assuming it is legal where you are, I imagine steps should be taken to ensure you retain control of the plant.
Great links! And polystachya is a quality yam, but how does it compare in bulbil harvest? I've had it for some time, and it's been hit-or-miss. I always end up killing the growing point in different, random ways, and it never branches or re-sprouts until after it's gone dormant, so I've not had a big vine to get a decent crop of bulbils yet.
I've checked the laws and noxious weed lists, it's absent from them in Puerto Rico. Fully legal. We're not crazy enough to outlaw a yam, the hills are covered with feral alatas, and they're a much appreciated part of the local culture. Everyone knows if you want free yams, all you gotta do is go digging in the hills during winter.
I've never seen a wild/toxic bulbifera, at least in my town. Very few people know about air potatoes here, and the ones that do usually reference an edible type, no doubt from the time the Ag-Research Station was looking into them (good luck tracking them down now, though).
I'm growing 4 edible bulbifera varieties, one of them for a few years now. So far, not very invasive in my yard. They do volunteer at times, but they're easy to find and pluck while small.
Post by:autobot
Tick check! Okay, I guess that was just an itch. Oh wait! Just a tiny ad:
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