ISLAND PLANTS
DEVIL'S POTATO
Let's go wild this month. Devil's Potato is found in sandy coastal
areas and surprises with its striking 2 inch creamy pinwheel flowers which
look as though they should belong in a domestic garden.
Devil's Potato (Echites umbellata) is a vine that climbs on other shrubs
and adorns them with a crown of blossoms. The flowers remain open all night
and exude a scent that attracts the large sphinx moth. The beating wings
of the moth help transfer pollen from flower to flower.
Not all the news is good, however. All parts of the plant are poisonous
and should not be handled. The potato-like root in particular should not
be considered edible. It acts upon the heart like digitalis and can be
fatal if ingested.