Vine identification

Hello, I have a vine coming up I haven’t seen before.  Pretty sure it’s not a morning glory.  I think it would be much more prolific by now if it was.  There are only to small stems coming up right now a few inches apart (so I’m unsure if it’s one or two plants), one is only about 12-16 inches long with maybe 6 leaves the other is longer but most of its leaves past that 12-16” length and the red-tinged vine is still young small leaves.  The only thing I can think is it is some seeds that I scattered in this bed but heck I do that so much I can’t remember what it might be and not even sure I recall scattering any vining seed.

I’m in zone 5b, and I’ll be very curious to see what this guy does and especially if it comes back up next year,

Anyone that has a clue, thanks!

looks like chinese wild yam. when they’re big enough they’ll make little aerial tubers. should be hardy in zone 5, i used to grow them in vermont.

Ohhh thank you thank you thank you!  That might very well have been a seed I did scatter.  Sounds like something I would scatter, but I’m a scatterbrain.  Sweet I’m glad one (or two?) took.  I’ll study up on them. Thank you friend.

Greg what are your thoughts and opinions on this plant?

I see the usual warnings about it being “invasive”,  but is it really that much of a concern this far North?

it really depends on how you’re growing it. each individual plant will grow a long tuber underground, and won’t really spread from the roots. but they make little aerial tubers (more and more as they get older) and each of those will make a new plant if it gets a chance. the aerial tubers can get mature and fall off and get lost on the ground pretty easily. so what’s around, mulch, mowing, etc, would all effect invasiveness to some degree. i wouldn’t worry about it too much if it’s in a place where you pay some attention to it.

Thanks!  What are your thoughts on harvesting it and eating it? Do you enjoy it?

sure. very potatoey. easiest most sustainable way is just to collect the aerial tubers and use them whole in things. i have dug a few bigger tubers as well, which can be a pain - they tend to grow straight down, so you end up with a foot-long, inch or two-wide tuber that zigs around rocks. frequently a bit tricky to get the whole thing. they ooze a bit of slime like okra when raw but can be treated a lot like potatoes and are not slimy at all when cooked.