Cyphostemma elephantopus
 One of the most spectacular of the genus with both a discoid tuber and pachycaul stem with age.
Fanciers of succulent plants consider cyphostemmas to be eminently desirable

Description: Weird but ornamental herbaceous perennial caudiciform vine, with massive, above-ground flask-like caudex with a tapering shape, a bit like an elephant’s tusk.
Caudex: This species has a very broad, fat, underground root system. This complex root system gradually tapers into a thickened, conical or disc-shaped caudex that can grow up to 60/200cm across. The caudex is woody, smooth, dark brown with concentric rings and looks like a big brown rock. In habitat this underground storage organ can attain surprisingly large dimensions with a water reservoir capacity up to 100-200 (or more) liters.
Stem (vines): The rambling vines are succulent and reach about the height of two meters in cultivation (but in habitat they can reach the length of more than 20 m.)
Leaves: Fleshy, serrated (tri-lobed) and deciduous.
Flower: Yellowish-green to glaucous green in a loose inflorescence.

Origin: Madagascar (Toliara)

Common Name:  Elephant-foot Grape Tree

C. elephantopus  in winter without leaves.

Cultivation: Grows in any rich, very well-drained, preferably stony soil with some water and lots of sun throughout the year. It is suited to greenhouse culture but does well out of doors in a Mediterranean climate. It doesn't like  wet winter but will survive. Water plentifully in summer but Keep rather dry in winter at a minimum of 12°C. Mature plants are hardy to 2C. Avoid any freezing temperatures.  Exposure: light shade.
For soil in full sun throughout the year.

Propagation: Propagate usually from seeds that must be prepared, aged and scarified (and even then germination is uncertain), or by cuttings.