Herb: Foxnut


Latin name: Euryale ferox


Family: Euryalaceae



Medicinal use of Foxnut:

The leaf is used in cases of difficult parturition. All parts of the plant are considered to be astringent, deobstruent and tonic. The seed is a sweet and sour astringent herb that acts as a tonic for the kidney and the spleen. The seed is analgesic and aphrodisiac. It is taken internally in the treatment of chronic diarrhoea, vaginal discharge, kidney weakness associated with frequent urination, impotence, premature and involuntary ejaculation and nocturnal emissions.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Habitat of the herb:

Ponds and lakes in lowland, C. and S. Japan.

Edible parts of Foxnut:

Fruit. Soft and pulpy, it is about the size of a small orange. It is highly esteemed in China as a cooling tonic food. Seed - fresh or dried. The seed is about the size of a pea, each fruit containing from 8 to 15 seeds. The seed is usually roasted and then eaten. It is also used as a source of starch. A nutritional analysis is available. Very young stalks and rhizomes. Rich in starch.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the seed has a short viability and must not be allowed to become dry. Sow the seed in pots in a greenhouse at about 21°C and immerse the pots in water. As soon as 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.

Cultivation of Foxnut:

Ponds and lakes in lowland, C. and S. Japan.

Known hazards of Euryale ferox:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.