Life Span
Annual or Biennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southern Africa
Types
Mexican potato,Mexican yam bean
Perennial
Number of Varieties
-50
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Moist Soils, Wet ground
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-158-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
10-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Lavender
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Tan
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry soil, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From bulbs
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Leaf spot, Red blotch
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Shallow soil
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Mice
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Irritation to stomach, Itchiness
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin tone
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Soil protection
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Fever, Inflammation
-
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Root
Root
Other Uses
Used As Food
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
PACHYRHIZUS erosus
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Mexican Yam bean
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Pachyrhizus erosus
African Iris
In German
Yambohne
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Kłębian kątowaty
African Iris
In Spanish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Iris africano
In Greek
Pachyrhizus erosus
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
Pachyrhizus erosus
Iris africano
In Polish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Pachyrhizus erosus
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Asparagales
Family
Fabaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Pachyrhizus
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
100300
1
27800
👆🏻