Chinese Water Chestnut

Eleocharis dulcis

Physical Characteristics

Eleocharis dulcis is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and is frost tender. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. 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 prefers wet soil and can grow in water.

Distribution

Tropical Africa; E. Asia - China, Japan, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, western Pacific..

Habitats

Pond; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root Edible Uses: Salt Salt Corm - raw or cooked[2, 46, 61, 63, 103]. A delicious taste, it is sweet and crisp when fully ripe and is starchy before that[116, 183]. Widely used in Chinese cooking, especially in chop suey. A flour or starch can be made from the dried and ground up corm and this is used to thicken sauces and to give a crisp coating to various deep-fried foods[183]. The root is about 4cm in diameter[206], it contains about 36% starch[193]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]. The plant is used for making salt in Zimbabwe[183]. No more details.

Medicinal Uses

Antibacterial Hepatic Miscellany The plant treats several ailments, including abdominal pain, amenorrhoea, hernia and liver problems[218]. The expressed juice of the tuber is bactericidal[218]. The juice expressed from the corms contains the antibiotic 'puchiin', which is effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Aerobacter aerogenes [1-8].

Known Hazards

None known