Dear James and Dear All,

Further to your question about Ullucus tuberosus, I think Ullucus is the
old name for Basella not in use anymore. Basella is a South American
tuberous climbing plant with thick succulent leaves and an enourmous
growth rate. It forms clumps of elongated tubers and on the aerial
climbing stems it also forms small aerial bulbils. It is frost tender so
makes an excellent screening plant without the risk of becoming a weed
in cold winter climates but in warm winter climates it can take over
large areas.
It is always found near human settlements in frost free climates like
the Canary Islands and from theres I once brought some bulbils. It
flowers with rather insignificant whitish flowers with a certain
fragrance but nothing spectacular. I have never tried to boil and eat
the tubers but I know it is a vegetable. I am sorry but I cannot help
out with propagation material as I stopped growing it because it grows
so fast and entwines with all its neighbours but it is in the commerce
under the current name of Basella.

Hope this helped, Uli
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