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Eleocharis dulcis
  • Chinese Water Chestnut

a perennial member of the Eleocharis genus in the family Cyperaceae.

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Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsaquatic
    Aquatic
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 9
    Zone 9
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Eleocharis dulcis has 0 edible uses listed
Eleocharis dulcis has 0 material uses listed
Eleocharis dulcis has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Corm - raw or cooked[1][2][3][4][5]. A delicious taste, it is sweet and crisp when fully ripe and is starchy before that[6][7]. 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[7]. The root is about 4cm in diameter[8], it contains about 36% starch[9]. A nutritional analysis is available[10]. The plant is used for making salt in Zimbabwe[7]. No more details.

Root

Unknown use

Unknown part

Salt

Material uses

The leaf stems are used for weaving bags etc[9].

Unknown part

Weaving

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The plant is used to treat a number of ailments including abdominal pain, amenorrhoea, hernia and liver problems[10]. The expressed juice of the tuber is bactericidal[10].

Unknown part

Antibacterial
Miscellany

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed and place the pot in 3cm of water to keep the soil wet. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division. Harvest the tubers at the end of the growing season, store them in a cool but frost-free place over the winter and plant them out in early spring.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Eleocharis dulcis. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

A plant of marshes and shallow water, it prefers slightly acid soil conditions and a sunny position[11]. Requires a rich fertile soil[8].

Plants are not very frost hardy, the tubers should be harvested at the end of the growing season and stored in a cool damp but frost-free position until the spring[8]. The water chestnut is widely cultivated for its edible tubers in China, there are some named varieties[7][11].

It requires a 7 month frost-free growing season in order to produce a crop[6][12]. Plants perform best at temperatures between 30 - 35°c during the leafy stage of growth, and about 5°c lower when the tubers are being formed[8]. This species is unlikely to succeed outdoors in Britain, though by starting the plants off early in a greenhouse it might be possible to obtain reasonable yields in good summers[K].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Eleocharis dulcis. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Eleocharis dulcis.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Eleocharis dulcis
Genus
Eleocharis
Family
Cyperaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Medicinal uses
[10]
Material uses & Functions
[9]
Botanic
[11]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
9
Heat Zone
?
Water
aquatic
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
    Ecosystems
    Native Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Adapted Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Native Geographical Range
    None listed.
    Native Environment
    None listed.
    Ecosystem Niche
    None listed.
    Root Zone Tendancy
    None listed.
    Life
    Deciduous or Evergreen
    ?
    Herbaceous or Woody
    ?
    Life Cycle
    perennial
    Growth Rate
    ?
    Mature Size
    1 x meters
    Fertility
    ?
    Pollinators
    ?
    Flower Colour
    ?
    Flower Type
    hermaphrodite

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    "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


    "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Eleocharis dulcis.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.






    References

    1. ? 1.01.1 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
    2. ? 2.02.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
    3. ? 3.03.1 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
    4. ? 4.04.1 Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber (1948-00-00)
    5. ? 5.05.1 Haywood. V. H. Flowering Plants of the World. Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-217674-9 ()
    6. ? 6.06.16.2 Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden (1986-00-00)
    7. ? 7.07.17.27.37.4 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
    8. ? 8.08.18.28.38.4 Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray ISBN 0-7195-4781-4 (1991-00-00)
    9. ? 9.09.19.29.3 Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. ISBN 0-207-14383-8 (1989-00-00)
    10. ? 10.010.110.210.310.4 Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-917256-20-4 (1985-00-00)
    11. ? 11.011.111.2 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
    12. ? Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts. Walker & Co. ISBN 0802707699 (1984-00-00)

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    Facts about "Eleocharis dulcis"RDF feed
    Article is incompleteYes +
    Article requires citationsNo +
    Article requires cleanupYes +
    Belongs to familyCyperaceae +
    Belongs to genusEleocharis +
    Has common nameChinese Water Chestnut +
    Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
    Has edible partRoot + and Unknown part +
    Has edible useUnknown use + and Salt +
    Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
    Has hardiness zone9 +
    Has imageEleocharis dulcis.jpg +
    Has lifecycle typePerennial +
    Has material partUnknown part +
    Has material useWeaving +
    Has mature height1 +
    Has medicinal partUnknown part +
    Has medicinal useAntibacterial + and Miscellany +
    Has primary imageEleocharis dulcis.jpg +
    Has search nameeleocharis dulcis + and x +
    Has shade toleranceNo shade +
    Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
    Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
    Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
    Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
    Has sun preferenceFull sun +
    Has taxonomy nameEleocharis dulcis +
    Has water requirementsaquatic +
    Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
    Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
    Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +