Purple Yam Plant (Dioscorea alata)

The Purple Yam (Dioscorea alata), commonly known as Ube, is a tropical tuber crop native to Southeast Asia. It produces underground tubers with striking deep violet flesh and a naturally sweet, earthy flavour often compared to vanilla or pistachio. Unlike sweet potatoes, Ube is a true yam that grows as a vigorous climbing vine with large, heart-shaped leaves, valued for both its ornamental growth and edible harvest. Widely used in Filipino cuisine, Ube is the key ingredient in desserts like Ube Halaya and provides a natural purple colour for breads, cakes, and ice creams. A warm-climate, herbaceous perennial, it dies back in winter. It can be grown successfully in large pots (50L+) and will still produce a good yield of tubers.