How I Grow Stephania Tubers AKA Ugly Potatoes

You’ve probably seen some of these weird plants on social media. They’re very boring, unassuming, and are reminiscent of potatoes. And these are not even the pretty potatoes that have red or purple skins. These are just…brown, ugly potatoes—also known as Stephania tubers.

Yes, I’m serious. Plant collectors jokingly call them “ugly potatoes.” I would not recommend eating any of them to see if they taste like traditional spuds. Some of are said to be toxic and should be kept out of the reach of pets and small children.

In this post, I’ve decided to give a shot at growing these Stephania tubers.

Purchasing Stephania Tubers on Etsy

The best place to buy Stephania tubers is probably Etsy. Stephanias have become prevalent enough where there are quite a few sellers in the U.S. offering them for a decent price, but I wanted to try out a few different Stephania species. Most U.S. vendors do not offer much, or any, variety. This is the reason why I chose a seller out of Thailand, Caudex Cool.

Not only does Caudex Cool sell several different species of Stephania, they also sell rare cacti and variegated cacti. Below are a few screenshots from their store. Some of those pink variegated cacti are gorgeous!

I ended up purchasing three different Stephania species: Stephania erecta, Stephania suberosa, and Stephania kaweesakii (Nova).

unboxing & Potting up the stephania tubers

It took about 10 days for the tubers to be shipped from Thailand to the U.S. via the postal service. Because the tubers are shipped dormant and with no vegetative growth, there is zero risk of shock to the plants. That is a huge plus when importing from international vendors.

Fortunately, they also come with stickers telling you which way is the right side up. It’s pretty helpful if you’re new to Stephanias or plants in general.

I’m not going to lie. The Stephania kaweesakii (Nova) did not come with a label and I had a really hard time discerning which direction was the right side up.

Based off of my research, it seems that Stephanias need warm, humid environments in order to sprout. It can take months for it to break dormancy, so patience is required. I potted them up in commercial cactus and succulent mix with a topdressing of horticultural sand.

I placed my dormant tubers into a 20-gallon glass tank with other humidity-loving and warm-growing plants. The temperature stays between 70 – 75 degrees F (21 – 24 degrees C). The humidity is usually between 60% – 70%. I use a digital thermometer/hygrometer to keep track of both.

I watered them about once every two weeks, or whenever I remembered. When they are not actively growing, it’s not necessary to fuss over them. Watering too much can cause the tubers to rot. Temperature and humidity are the most important environmental factors at this point.

Three months later…

Stephania suberosa did not actually take three months to break dormancy. Surprisingly, it spouted within a week of being potted up.

For Stephania erecta and Stephania kaweesakii, they were in no hurry and took their sweet time. After 3 months (almost 4 months), I finally had signs of life!

If you want instant gratification, these plants are most definitely NOT for you! Except maybe Stephania suberosa…

In the end, however, Stephania kaweesakii really took off and put out one HUGE, single leaf. It is almost 7 inches at the widest point!

It is possible to encourage branching by trimming off the stem, but I think I will keep it for now. It’s very quirky with its single, giant leaf.

Final Thoughts

I can see why Stephanias have become so popular. With their round tubers and round-ish leaves, they are very sculptural and unique. The pale venation on the leaves, especially on darker leaves, is quite attractive. The ability to plant the tubers in miniature pots like a bonsai tree also adds to the charm. Wouldn’t it be cute to line up a row of these little guys on a windowsill?

If you’re looking for a new potential challenge and have the patience, I would recommend trying out one of these “ugly potatoes!”