Cyperus esculentus - Tiger Nut

Family:	Cyperaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.9
Synonyms:
Range:	Original range is obscure, the plant is a widespread weed from the Tropics to the Temperate zone.

Cyperus esculentus (Tiger Nut) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.9m . It has a fast growth rate. It has a hardness rating of 8.
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Wind

Soil Information

Tiger Nut will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Tiger Nut prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Tiger Nut should not be planted in shady areas.

Muddy soil and shallow water, also as a weed of cultivated ground[50].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Prefers a moist sandy loam[95, 117]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[200]. The chufa, or tiger nut, is often cultivated for its edible tuber in warm temperate and tropical zones, there is a cultivated variety, var. sativus, that produces larger tubers[50]. We have had lots of problems with growing this cultivated form. Once the tubers come into growth then they normally grow vigorously, but the difficulty is getting them to come into growth. We harvest the tubers in the autumn and store them in moist sand, replanting them in the spring. However, they rarely come into new growth until mid to late summer which gives them too short a growing season to produce much of a crop[K]. We need to find a satisfactory way of storing the tubers and exciting them back into growth[K]. In warmer climates this plant is a serious weed of cultivation. It is much hardier than was once imagined and is becoming a weed in N. America where it is found as far north as Alaska[95]. The tubers are often formed a metre or more away from the plant, especially if it is growing in a heavy clay soil[159]. The tubers are extremely attractive to mice and require protection from them in the winter[K].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 4/5
Tuber - raw, cooked or dried and ground into a powder[2, 4, 55, 62, 85, 95, 183].They are also used in confectionery[183]. A delicious nut-like flavour[1, 61, 183] but rather chewy and with a tough skin[K]. They taste best when dried[27]. They can be cooked in barley water to give them a sweet flavour and then be used as a dessert nut[183]. A refreshing beverage is made by mixing the ground tubers with water, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla and ice[183]. The ground up tuber can also be made into a plant milk with water, wheat and sugar[183]. An edible oil is obtained from the tuber. It is considered to be a superior oil that compares favourably with olive oil[183]. The roasted tubers are a coffee substitute[2, 62, 183]. The base of the plant can be used in salads[183]. (This probably means the base of the leaf stems[K])

• Coffee - the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
• Leaves -
• Oil -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
Tiger nuts are regarded as a digestive tonic, having a heating and drying effect on the digestive system and alleviating flatulence[254]. They also promote urine production and menstruation[254]. The tubers are said to be aphrodisiac, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, stimulant and tonic[240, 254]. In Ayurvedic medicine they are used in the treatment of flatulence, indigestion, colic, diarrhoea, dysentery, debility and excessive thirst[254].

• Aphrodisiac - Increases the sexual appetite.
• Carminative - Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
• Digestive - Aids digestion.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Emmenagogue - Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
• Stimulant - Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in the spring and keep the compost moist[164]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 18°c[164]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow on for their first winter in a greenhouse and plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn. This is more a matter of harvesting the tubers and replanting them. If this is done in the autumn, then it is best to store the tubers in a cool frost-free place overwinter and plant them out in the spring.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

The tubers contain up to 30% of a non-drying oil, it is used in cooking and in making soap[57, 74, 117, 141]. It does not solidify at 0°c and stores well without going rancid[74]. The leaves can be used for weaving hats and matting etc[178].

• Oil - Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.
• Weaving - Items such as grass and palm leaves that are woven together for making mats, baskets etc. See also Basket making and Fibre.

Cultivars

'' - No entries have been made for this species as yet.

References

Flora Europaea
?
Author: ?
Rating:
Publisher : An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
Date of Publication : 1964

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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