{"product_id":"chinese-yam-tubers","title":"Chinese Yam \"Nagaimo\/Cinnamon Vine\" (Dioscorea polystachya) Tubers – Cold-Hardy Perennial Vine, Crisp Mucilaginous Root, Edible Raw or Cooked","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e5+ Tubers\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 dir=\"ltr\"\u003eThe Yam You Eat Raw\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eMost yams and root vegetables demand cooking before they're edible. Nagaimo doesn't. Grate it raw and it turns into a slick, mucilaginous slurry eaten over rice in Japan, or slice it thin for a crisp, apple-like crunch in salads. This cold-hardy perennial vine, also called cinnamon vine for its faintly spiced aroma, produces a long, starchy tuber equally at home cooked into soups or grated raw, and once established, the vine returns reliably year after year with little care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho Grows Chinese Yam \"Nagaimo\"?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe home cook wanting fresh nagaimo for tororo, okonomiyaki, or Japanese home cooking.\u003cbr\u003eThe perennial vegetable gardener wanting a plant-once, harvest-for-years crop.\u003cbr\u003eThe cold-climate gardener needing a yam-type crop that survives winters.\u003cbr\u003eThe vertical gardener with a trellis or fence looking for a productive vine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat This Cold-Hardy Root Vine Actually Is\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eDioscorea polystachya\u003c\/em\u003e, called Chinese yam, nagaimo, or cinnamon vine, is a twining perennial vine native to East Asia, grown for its long, cylindrical tuber reaching 2 to 3 feet deep in loose soil. The vine climbs readily on a trellis, producing heart-shaped leaves and, in some conditions, small aerial bulbils usable for propagation. The tuber's flesh is white, crisp, and mucilaginous, a texture prized in Japanese cuisine, where it's grated raw into tororo or sliced for a crunchy addition to salads and pickles; it's equally usable cooked into soups, stir-fries, or simmered dishes. Unlike tropical yams, this species is genuinely cold-hardy, with the vine dying back each winter and the tuber persisting underground to resprout in spring. Hardy in zones 5 through 9, considered invasive in parts of the eastern US, so check local status before planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the Kitchen \u0026amp; Garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrated raw tororo:\u003c\/strong\u003e Grate fresh tuber into a sticky topping for rice or soba.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSliced raw salad:\u003c\/strong\u003e Slice thin for a crisp, apple-like crunch, dressed with soy and vinegar.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCooked soups and stir-fries:\u003c\/strong\u003e Add cubed tuber to soups or stir-fries, where it softens but keeps some bite.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOkonomiyaki binder:\u003c\/strong\u003e Use grated nagaimo as a traditional binder in Japanese savory pancakes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePerennial vertical planting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Train the vine on a trellis for a productive, edible screen.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBulbil propagation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Collect aerial bulbils where they form to start new plants alongside division.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing Chinese Yam Tubers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStart method:\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant whole tubers or sections directly in loose, worked soil in spring.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTiming:\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant after last frost once soil warms.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDepth:\u003c\/strong\u003e Plant tuber sections 4-6 inches deep in loosened, rock-free soil for straight growth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSunlight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep, loose, well-drained soil is essential; heavy or rocky soil forks tubers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupport:\u003c\/strong\u003e Provide a trellis, fence, or other vertical support for the twining vine.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWatering:\u003c\/strong\u003e Consistent moisture through the season supports strong tuber development.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrowth cycle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vine dies back each winter; tubers persist underground and resprout in spring.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dig tubers in fall after the vine dies back, taking care with the long, deep root.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContainment:\u003c\/strong\u003e Consider a container or root barrier where spreading habit isn't wanted.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reliable to zone 5; a true perennial where winters allow tuber overwintering.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInvasive note:\u003c\/strong\u003e Regarded as invasive in some eastern US regions; check local regulations first.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore You Close This Page\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the yam you can eat without cooking it first. Chinese Yam delivers a crisp, mucilaginous tuber equally at home grated raw into tororo or simmered into soup. It's a genuine cold-hardy perennial, returning from the same root year after year once established, and the twining vine doubles as an edible screen. Give it deep, loose soil and vertical support, and it asks for little else. Grow the root that proves not every yam needs a stove.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"terramatergardens","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54418234671422,"sku":"11626","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/8836\/7166\/files\/candles-5825.png?v=1789169096","url":"https:\/\/www.terramatergardens.com\/products\/chinese-yam-tubers","provider":"Terra Mater Gardens","version":"1.0","type":"link"}