Wild Yam
Dioscorea villosa
- Plant Type
- Vine (Deciduous)
- Landscape Layer
- Vine
- Sun
- ☀️ Full Sun, ⛅ Part Sun, ☁️ Shade
- Moisture
- 💧 Regular
- Soil
- Clay, Loam, Sand, Silt, Rocky / Acidic, Calcareous
- Bloom
- April, May, June, July
- Sociability
- S2 – Small groups
Ecology & Conservation
- Proximity Score
- 2
- Native Status
- ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ✅ ON
- Closest Direction
- SE
- CEC Eco-Regions
- 5 – Northern Forests, 5.3 – Atlantic Highlands, 5.3.1 – Northern Appalachians and Atlantic Maritime Highlands
- Rarity Notes
- Globally secure (G5) and nationally secure in Canada (N4). Ranked S4 in Ontario where it is apparently secure. Not ranked in Quebec as the species is not considered native to the province per VASCAN. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC.
- Rarity Ranks
- QC SNA – Not Applicable, ON S4 – Apparently Secure
- Migration
- Stable
- Ecological Context
- A twining herbaceous vine of rich mesic deciduous forests, floodplains, and thickets in the Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic regions. Typically found climbing through understory shrubs and small trees along riverbanks, woodland borders, and moist ravines. In Michigan, documented in mixed hardwoods, oak-hickory woods, floodplains, and sandy thickets, often in association with Quercus alba, Hamamelis virginiana, and Carex pensylvanica.
Medicinal Properties ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
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ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
Click here for more info →- Category
- Analgesic, Gynecological Aid, Antiinflammatory, Antispasmodic, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator
S28 Meskwaki Analgesic + Gynecological Aid; S29 Antiinflammatory, Antispasmodic, Cholagogue, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator; S36 Health Canada approved herbal name
- Notes
- The root contains diosgenin, a steroidal saponin widely used in modern medicine to synthesize progesterone and other steroid drugs. Meskwaki women used the root for pain at childbirth. PFAF rates it 4/5 for medicinal value, noting uses as an antispasmodic for bilious colic, treatment of arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and painful menstruation. Health Canada lists Dioscorea villosa as an approved herbal name. The root is harvested in autumn and should not be stored longer than one year.
Edibility & Foraging ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
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ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
Click here for more info →❌ Not Edible
- Foraging Notes
- Moerman records no food uses for this species among Indigenous peoples. PFAF assigns an edibility rating of 2/5 and notes the tuber can be cooked but caution is required due to potential side effects. Illinois Wildflowers explicitly states this vine does not produce edible tubers, unlike the tropical yam (Dioscorea spp.) found in grocery stores. The fresh plant can cause vomiting.
Seed Source
- NANPS
- NANPS