Eradicating Thorny Wild Potato Vine (Air Potato) from Cleared Land

Thousands of thorny vines with potato-like tubers (Dioscorea bulbifera – air potato) are reclaiming your cleared Texas land. Here's the kill protocol.

Why It's a Nightmare

• Tubers (aerial & underground) resprout from fragments.
• Vines grow 8"/day, smother trees.
• Thorns = miserable manual removal.

Integrated Eradication

1. Cut & treat: Sever vines at waist height. Immediately paint cut stems with 50% glyphosate or triclopyr (brush killer).
2. Dig tubers: After top-kill, excavate every tuber. Screen soil. Miss one = reinfestation.
3. Foliar spray regrowth: When sprouts hit 12–18", spray 2% glyphosate + surfactant. Repeat every 3–4 weeks.
4. Monitor 2+ years: Seed bank and missed tubers will return.

Herbicide Selection

• Glyphosate: Non-selective, no soil residual. Safe near oaks if no drift.
• Triclopyr (Garlon, Brush-B-Gon): Better on woody vines, some soil activity.
• Apply on hot, sunny, calm days. Avoid rain 6 hrs post-application.

Resources

Janisan Herbicide Chart – matches chemical to target.

Persistence wins. This vine respects only total elimination.