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A Curious plant with tuber above ground level covered with layers of corky bark, resembling a caudex. It is a slow growing, very unusual succulent. Its main feature is a large, corky caudex that grows up to 6� in nature, resembling an elephant's foot (hence the popular name). The caudex looks as if it is segmented into geometric patterns (smaller plants look like tortoises) and looks dead but is actually a living tuber. A plant with 18" caudex can be almost 100 years old. The plant grows into a vine with attractive heart-shaped leaves and small yellow flowers. Culture is relatively easy. A greenhouse is great, but a windowsill with moderate to full sun works fine, as long as the plant is kept at 65F min. The vines may die back and regrow several times a year, depending on the particular plant and your region. Several plants in the same pot can go dormant in different times. Tuber contains saponins, originally cooked and eaten as a famine food by the Hottentots. The plant is dioecious (male and female flowers are produced on different plants). The 0.2 inches wide (4 mm), greenish-yellow flowers are insignificant. Seeds are the only way to reproduce. The seedlings caudex forms below ground and will grow much faster if left underground for a couple of years.