Cinnamon Vine (Dioscorea batatas)

These plants are monocots and belong to the tropical yam family. They should not be confused with the sweet potato, often erroneously called “yam,” which is a dicot and a member of the morning glory family. Cinnamon vine – so named because the foliage is said to have a cinnamon scent when crushed – forms large, edible, long-lived underground tubers along the vines. Their leaves are glossy-green, heart-shaped and 3 to 5 inches long. These vining plants are modest growers – at least as vines go – and seldom produce vines longer than six or eight feet in length. They lack appendages to climb trees, so need a trellis or fence for support. They grow in full sun or moderate shade.