Chinese yam (Dioscorea polystachya) was originally grown in Asia as an outdoor ornamental. When exported and introduced to other areas of the world, it quickly escaped cultivation; it will ruthlessly take over and kill native plants within a large variety of growing environments. It's currently on the Invasive Exotic Pest Plant List for Tennessee as a Rank 1-Severe Threat species.

Elephant's foot is a caudiciform plant, which means it has a caudex or a root structure above ground level. The plant's specific epithet elephantipes is based on the elephant's foot-like appearance that covers the caudex. It is believed that the Khoisan (an indigenous tribe from South Africa) baked and consumed the caudex as a food source.

Ancient Polynesians carried air potato to Hawaii in their canoes. They only ate it in times of famine, because the bulbs can be poisonous. Multiple bulbils grow from the vines, each of which is capable of rooting and generating another vine. The speed with which air potato grows allows it to out-compete other species.

Black bryony (Dioscorea communis) is a climbing plant native to western and central Asia and Europe. Its climbing vine prefers a dense forest understory, and curiously nearly always spirals counter-clockwise. The black bryony plant is poisonous in its entirety, and should never be ingested raw.

Despite its name, the wild yam's tubers are not edible. It does, however, serve as cover and nesting grounds for small animals. This perennial vine is native to the eastern side of North America. It produces small greenish flowers and distinctive heart-shaped leaves and can be trellised for an attractive addition to garden landscaping.

It is a vine plant of dioecious strains distributed from southwestern Hokkaido to Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, the Korean peninsula, and China. It has elongated heart-shaped leaves, and in summer it has a spike-like inflorescence. The fruit has three large lobes, each of which contains seeds. In the basement, there is a single fence. The coral extends straight deep into the basement, sometimes exceeding 1 meter. As the ground grows, the cocoon shrinks and is replaced with a new cocoon in the fall. The basket can be as large as 3 centimeters in length, from a sphere with a diameter of about 1 centimeter.

Fan-leaf mountain yam wraps her climbing tendrils around the hearts of botanists with her valuable medicinal properties, offering several resources for natural remedies. This garden stunner transforms into an orange bounty in autumn and boasts a playful display of small, white flowers. However, handle with care, as consuming raw can be toxic!

Yam is a perennial vine characterized by heart-shaped leaves and thick tubers. It thrives in temperate regions, where its vigorous growth can often be seen covering the ground or climbing surrounding vegetation. The plant's adaptability allows it to survive in various soils, although it prefers well-drained conditions. Its tubers are not only a distinctive identification feature but are also valued in some cultures for their culinary uses.

Dioscorea gracillima is a slender, vine-like plant with delicate tendrils and glossy, heart-shaped leaves. It climbs and twines around structures or other vegetation, adapting to its environment with versatility. Its underground tubers are noteworthy, contributing to its resilience and aiding in nutrient storage. Dioscorea gracillima's modest flowers may go unnoticed but play a crucial role in reproduction.

Dioscorea sansibarensis is a species of flowering plant in the yam family known by the common name Zanzibar yam. It is native to Madagascar and to tropical Africa from Tanzania west to Guinea and south to Mozambique, and it is known elsewhere as an introduced species (including in southern Florida). Dioscorea sansibarensis grows from a tuber up to 40 centimeters wide. The vine may exceed 7 meters in length and can be 3 centimeters wide. It twines counterclockwise and can reach and grasp supporting trees before it produces its first leaf. The heart-shaped leaves are up to 46 centimeters long by 58 wide. The tip may taper into a tail-like extension. The bulbils are up to 6 centimeters wide and may be purplish. In parts of Africa this plant is thought to have magical properties. The tubers and bulbils are toxic.

Dyeing yam is a climbing vine known for its slender, twisty stems that reach for sunlight in forest understories. Its heart-shaped leaves flutter like nature's green valentines, providing a dynamic facade across tree trunks. This plant thrives in humidity, its unique presence marking the rich tapestry of the ecosystem it calls home.

Water yam is a tropical vining plant that produces long, slender tubers that can grow up to 6 feet long. It is an important staple crop in many countries, providing a valuable food source. In addition to its culinary use, the plant has medicinal properties and is rich in complex carbohydrates and other nutrients.

Dioscorea collettii var. hypoglauca is a type of yam with broad, heart-shaped leaves that display a subtle silvery underside. Its vines climb using twirly tendrils, often seen embracing nearby structures in its woodland habitat. The underground tubers of dioscorea collettii var. hypoglauca are notable, not just for their starch-rich composition valuable to both humans and wildlife, but also for their potential medicinal properties.