Yesterday I was asked whether whiteDioscorea alatayams or purpleDioscorea alatayams were better to grow .
“ I actually used the connectedness that another commenter left , and ordered a few little lad on Ebay . There were a hatful of the purple yam , but I wanted to start with the white ones . When it comes to eating or develop , do you have a preference ? I will plausibly order some purple ones too . ( Unless you say do n’t ! ) ”
That is a good enquiry , and it depends on how you gauge your gardening achiever .
Productivity
The whitened wild sort ofD. alatais quite vigorous and break you a large harvesting .
And … the purple yams are imperial .
It may be that the anthocyanin content of the purple yam have them healthier for you , but I ’m not sure both are species ofD. alata .
We primarily grow the white form as they acquire famously and take zero work . The purplish kind also take zero work , but give half the return .
We have n’t noticed much difference in nip .
Market Value
There is a catch however , when you compare them in the marketplace rather than for home consumption : the purple yam plant are almost certainly more worthful on the market , especially if you have a thriving Filipino community .
This year , I plan to mature as many purple yams as potential , with the hope of sell them in Pensacola . The purple variety ofD. alatais known as ube yam among Filipinos . It is prized in desserts , specially at the holidays .
One day , Rachel and I drive to at least four dissimilar heathen markets in Pensacola in search of yams at the one market where we bump them they were sell ube yam . They cost five dollars per Irish punt . That is a gamy enough price to make it worthwhile as a harvest , particularly considering its curiosity inside of the United States .
The Verdict
Most backyard nurseryman are unlikely to utilise ube as marketplace crop ; hence for maximal production and homestead usance , I advocate develop the white untamed - ish variety ofD. alata , unless you are Filipino or design to sell your yam to the Filipino residential district , in which causa you should rivet on purple ube .
Finally , if you’re able to get improve whiteD. alatatypes , they are really excellent ; however , I have n’t been able-bodied to find any inside the US . They are not as vigorous as the prominent chunky type , but they are much easier to sue and their bod is less grainy and much better for cookery .
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