How & Where Are Yams Grown?

Yams come in many varieties including versions with white, purplish or brownish flesh and dark brown or off-white skin. Depending on the variety, after cooking, the texture may be dry, fine, coarse or grainy and the flavor can be sweet or bitter.

Growing Yams

• Yams prefer warm and sunny climates. They do well with deep, rich and permeable soil with good drainage and take up to 12 months to reach maturity before harvesting. Yams require 100 cm of water throughout the growing season and produce a higher yield when mulched after planting. The pH balance of the soil should be about 5.5.

Location

• Yams are native to Africa and Asia, although they are also grown in the Caribbean, Central America and other tropical regions. Although the U.S. receives most of its yams from the Caribbean, approximately 95 percent of yam crops are grown in Africa, mostly in the West African countries of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo.

Misconceptions

• Strictly speaking, yams and sweet potatoes are not from the same botanical family. Sweet potatoes are classified as Convolvulacea -- a part of the morning glory family -- while yams are from the Dioscoreaceae family and are related to lilies and grasses. Yams tend to be starchier and drier than sweet potatoes.