Fox Nut (Euryale ferox) Gardening
Fox nut (Euryale ferox) is the only species of flowering plant in genus Euryale of the waterlily family Nymphaeaceae, native to eastern Asia. It can be found from India to Korea, Japan and parts of eastern Russia. It is also known as foxnut, makhana, gorgon plant, or prickly waterlily.
Fox nut is an aquatic plant with large, deeply veined, and round leaves, 1 m diameter, and leaf stalk that is attached to the center of the lower surface. The upper surface of the leaf is green, while the underside is purplish. The plant produces day-blooming bright violet-purple flowers, which are usually open under water but on rare occasions open above water. The sepals, stems, and both side of the leaves are covered with sharp spines. The fruit is deep purple, globose, 5-10 cm in diameter, spongy and densely prickle. The seeds are dark brown or black, 8 or more, globose, 6-10 mm in diameter.
Fox nut is cultivated for its white, starchy, edible seeds. The seeds are collected in late summer and early autumn, and may be eaten raw, cooked, roasted or fried. The edible seeds are used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is traditionally known as analgesic, aphrodisiac, astringent, deobstruent, oxytoxic, and tonic. They are believed to strengthen male potency and retard aging.
Fox nut is often cook together with other seeds, grains, or beans. In india, the seeds are roasted like popcorn, and eat together with other spices and oils. The seeds contain 61% carbohydrate, 15.6% protein, 12.1% moisture, 7.6% fibre, 1.8% ash, and 1.35% fat.
Fox nut (Euryale ferox)
Author: Magnus Manske (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
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