While Tubers grow underground like roots, Tubers are high in starch. Let’s review the members by family and identify the similarities and differences.
Nightshade Family:Â potatoes
Morning Glory Family:Â sweet potatoes and yams (in the U.S., a lot of folks think yams are in the same family as sweet potatoes but they are not as they are in the Dioscoreaceae family)
Aster Family:Â Jerusalem artichokes
Similarities:  The edible part of the Tuber category of veggies grows underground on rhizomes. Tubers are high in starch and enjoy a dose of phosphorous when they are growing. Try not to bruise the tubers when harvesting so they last longer – don’t expect Tubers to last as long as the Bulbs.
Differences:  While we have not reviewed the plant family that yams are a member of, each Tuber member is in a different plant family. You plant a piece of the tuber for Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes and yams and slips for sweet potatoes.
In case you were wondering, I’ve only grown potatoes and sweet potatoes!
