Foxnut, Euryale
Euryale ferox
Family: Nymphaeaceae
What it is like
Euryale ferox is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 3 m (9ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It can grow in water.
Height (m): 1
Where it is found
Ponds and lakes in lowland, C. and S. Japan.
E. Asia - China to N. India.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Fruit. Soft and pulpy, it is about the size of a small orange. It is highly esteemed in China as a cooling tonic food. Seed - fresh or dried. The seed is about the size of a pea, each fruit containing from 8 to 15 seeds. The seed is usually roasted and then eaten. It is also used as a source of starch. A nutritional analysis is available. Very young stalks and rhizomes. Rich in starch.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Stem: this often intergrades into leaves.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The leaf is used in cases of difficult parturition. All parts of the plant are considered to be astringent, deobstruent and tonic. The seed is a sweet and sour astringent herb that acts as a tonic for the kidney and the spleen. The seed is analgesic and aphrodisiac. It is taken internally in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, vaginal discharge, kidney weakness associated with frequent urination, impotence, premature and involuntary ejaculation and nocturnal emissions.
Analgesic: Relieves pain.
Aphrodisiac: Increases the sexual appetite.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Deobstruent: Clears obstructions from the natural ducts of the body.
Oxytoxic: Hastens parturition and stimulates uterine contractions. See also birthing aids.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Other
Rating:
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Staple Crop: Balanced carb: (0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Regional Crop: These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Staple Crop: Balanced carb: (0-15 percent protein, 0-15 percent oil, with at least one over 5 percent). The carbohydrates are from either starch or sugar. Annuals include maize, wheat, rice, and potato. Perennials include chestnuts, carob, perennial fruits, nuts, cereals, pseudocereals, woody pods, and acorns.
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
How it is grown
A water plant, it requires a rich soil, preferably growing in still water. It can be grown in still or slowly flowing water. In cultivation in temperate greenhouses, the plant is often grown as an annual. It requires about 0.75 cubic metres of root run. This species is not very cold hardy. One report says that it succeeds in zone 8 which would mean that it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c but this must be viewed with some doubt. It is unlikely to succeed outdoors in Britain, at least when grown as a perennial. Frequently cultivated as an edible plant in China and India, the seeds are normally available in Chinatown markets in the West.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the seed has a short viability and must not be allowed to become dry. Sow the seed in pots in a greenhouse at about 21°c and immerse the pots in water. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Best place to grow: Pond;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Water