Dioscorea alata -- 'Uhi,or yam

'Uhi leaves

'Uhi supported on frames

Dioscorea alata -- 'Uhi, or yam Yams were an important dry land crop for the Hawaiians. They could be grown in drier and less productive land than kalo. Leaf mulching was used to increase their growth. Often trees were girdled (which killed them) and then were used as a support for 'uhi planted close by. 'Uhi are vines with heart-shaped leaves which have veins running from leaf base and re-converging at leaf tip. Underground they produce crisp, white tubers which are cooked for food. Often the stems are "winged" or have thin edges sticking out beyond the rounded stem. Some have small, brownish, various-sized bulblets produced on the stem. Dioscorea alatais one of the more common species of 'uhi used by the Hawaiians, but they also had other yam species -- D. bulbifera (pi'oi or hoi) and D. pentaphylla(pi'ia or pi'a) -- which were used as emergency famine food and generally grew wild. Hoi is poisonous and must be prepared a certain way. Photos by Priscilla Millen..