Wild Yam

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Wild Yam JoAnn Guest Aug 05, 2003 16:59 PDT

Wild Yam

Dioscorea Villosa

 

Other Names: Colic-root, Devil's-bones, Rheumatism Root, Wilde Yamwurzel

 

Although common in the woodlands in my part of Middle Tennessee; Wild

Yam is listed as endangered by United Plant Savers and should never be

harvested from natural habitat. In my experience wild yam rootlets

planted in pots immediately after harvesting from destroyed forest

habitat will die back within a dew days. However if kept in gallon pots

with potting soil in shade and watered every other day they will spring

back up after about three weeks.

 

Conservation of habitat is needed to ensure the future of our wild

medicinal plants. Also of interest is another yam species used in

Chinese medicine, Dioscoreaceae batatas is considered a noxious weed in

Tennessee and thrives in full sun and spreads like an ivy.

 

It puts on little potato like tubers in fall that hang in bunches from

the stem, from that comes the common name of " air potatoes " . They are

edible and actually quite tasty.

 

I learned of its use in Chinese medicine from Joe Hollis at the Long

Hungry Creek Herb Conference in October of 99.

 

I love this plant simply for its beautiful appearance in my shade

garden.

 

 

Karen Shelton

 

Habitat: (Dioscorea Villosa) Perennial climbing vine native to Eastern

N. America from New England to Minnesota and Ontario, south to Florida

and Texas. Most common in the central and southern United States Wild

Yam is found growing in damp woods and swamps, thickets, roadside fences

and hedges.

 

Cultivation is easy from root cuttings taken in the winter or late

fall. Tubercles or baby tubers can be found in the leaf axils in late

summer and early autumn.

 

These should be taken when about pea size and easily fall away from the

vine. They should be planted immediately in individual pots and kept

inside till spring. Wild yam prefers sandy to loamy medium,

well-drained, moist soils and requires partial shade. The plant is a

trailing vine climbing over adjacent shrubs and bushes, growing to a

length of 15 feet or more with a smooth, reddish-brown stem and

heart-shaped long petioled leaves from 2 to 6 inches long and 1 to 4

inches wide. Leaves have very prominent veins which run lengthwise from

the center top of the heart shape out into a fan patern. They are

usually alternate, but sometimes grow in twos and fours near the base of

the plant. The root runs horizontally beneath the surface of the ground,

it is long, branched, crooked, and woody, forming tubers which are light

brown outside and white fibrous inside. The small, greenish-yellow

flowers are produced in drooping clusters about 3 to 6 inches long

(male) and in drooping, spikelike heads (female), blooming from June to

August. Gather tubers and roots in fall, dry for later herb use. Not to

be stored for longer than 1 year.

 

Properties: Wild Yam is edible and medicinal, though said to be bland,

when cooked with seasoning it is tasty.

 

Used for centuries as a medicinal herb by the Aztec and Myan peoples

for a wide range of ailments including many female problems and to

relieve the pain of child birth.

 

Research indicates that this is a powerful alternative medicine

containing many steroidal saponins, mainly Dioscin which is widely used

to manufacture progesterone and other steroid drugs used as

contraceptives and in the treatment of various disorders of the genitary

organs as well as in other diseases such as asthma and arthritis.

 

Other constituents Phytosterols (beta-sitosterol), alkaloids and Tannins

make this plant useful as an antiinflammatory, antispasmodic,

cholagogue, diaphoretic and vasodilator. A decoction of the root is used

to alleviate many of the symptoms of menopause and PMS such as hot

flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and vaginal dryness.

 

It is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis, gall

bladder complaints, spasmodic cramps, painful menstruation, and in small

doses is especially helpful in treating the nausea of pregnant women.

 

TRY THESE RECIPES

 

Decoction: Place 8oz. chopped root in nonmetallic sauce pan, cover with

water and bring to boil, reduce heat simmer for 20 to 30 min. Strain and

store in refrigerator. Take in ½ cup doses twice a day.

 

Article by Deb Jackson & Karen Shelton

 

http://altnature.com/gallery/wild_yam.htm

 

 

 

The complete " Whole Body " Health line consists of the " AIM GARDEN TRIO "

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" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

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