Northern wild rice
Zizania palustris

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A grass which grows in water. It grows each year from seed. It grows 60-70 cm tall. It can be 160 cm tall. It has a shallow rooting system. The stems tiller or form shoots from the base. There can be 50 tillers per plant. The leaf blade is narrow. It is 6-32 mm wide. There are often 5-6 leaves above the water. The flowers are on a slender, much branched panicle. The lower male spikelets hang down while the upper female spikelets are erect. The seed is like a cylinder and 8-16 mm long by 1.5-4.5 mm wide. They are dark brown to purple-black. The grain is tightly enclosed.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It can be grown like water grown rice. It grows in deeper and cooler water.

Countries/locations it is found in

Canada, North America (country/location of origin), USA

How it is used for food

The grains are cooked and eaten like rice.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

The plants are grown from seed. The seed are dormant for 3 months before they will grow. Seed should be stored in water below 3°C to keep them viable.

Yields or 480-1250 kg/ha are average. The open grains are allowed to ferment in the open air for 4-7 days after harvest. The fermented grain is then dried in an oven for 2 hours at a temperature over 125°C.

Its other names

Local names

American wild rice, Indian rice, Mamomin, Wild rice

Synonyms

Melinum palustre (L.) Link; Zizania aquatica subsp. angustifolia (Hitchc.) Tzvelev; Zizania aquatica var. angustifolia Hitchc.;