Above ground, the Yellow Guinea Yam is a vine that can grow up to 30 to 40 feet long (9 to 12 metres.) The vine has pointed leaves and thorny stems. It is a perennial in tropical areas, but not in others, as it has zero tolerance to frost.
It is the underground tubers that are treated as a root vegetable and eaten. The tubers can take 12 months to mature, and weigh in at 8 pounds (3.5 kg) from an established plant. New vines can be grown from the tubers, or yams, as they are called for food purposes.
The Yellow Guinea Yam has thin, rough, lumpy skin. Inside, the flesh tends to be a lemon yellow.
It is not as popular as other yams in West Africa or the West Indies because it does not store well.
Cooking Tips
The yams must be cooked before eating. Peel, slice and boil, stew, deep-fry or bake.
Storage Hints
Does not store well.
History Notes
Native to West Africa.