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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.