Chinese Arrowroot, Threeleaf arrowhead

Sagittaria trifolia

Basic Information

Family: Alismataceae

Genus: sagittaria

Plant ID (slug): sagittaria-trifolia

Numeric ID: 19975

USDA Hardiness: 10-12

Ratings

Physical Characteristics

Sagittaria trifolia is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in flower from July to August. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers wet soil and can grow in water.

Distribution

Southern European Russia, through temperate Asia to tropical southeastern Asia in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Root Edible Uses: Root - cooked[2, 4, 13, 56]. Excellent when roasted, the taste is somewhat like potatoes. The tubers are starchy with a distinct flavour[116]. The tubers should not be eaten raw[200].The skin is rather bitter and is best removed after the tubers have been cooked[183]. Tubers can also be dried and ground into a powder, this powder can be used as a gruel etc or be added to cereal flours and used in making bread[55, 94].The roots (tubers really) are borne on the ends of slender roots, often 30cm deep in the soil and some distance from the parent plant. The tubers of wild plants are about 15cm in diameter and are best harvested in the late summer as the leaves die down. The dried root contains (per 100g) 364 calories, 17g protein, 1g fat, 76.2g carbohydrate, 3.1g fibre, 5.8g ash, 44mg calcium, 561mg phosphorus, 8.8mg iron, 2,480mg potassium, 0.54mg thiamine, 0.14mg riboflavin, 4.76mg niacin and 17mg ascorbic acid. They contain no carotene[218]. Leaves and young stems - cooked[105, 183]. Somewhat acrid.

Medicinal Uses

Antiscorbutic Diuretic Galactofuge Skin The plant is antiscorbutic, diuretic[4]. The leaf is used to treat a variety of skin problems[218]. The tuber is discutient, galactofuge and may induce premature birth[218].