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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Flowers; Leaves; Root; Seed; Stem.
Edible Uses: Coffee.
Root - cooked as a vegetable[1, 46, 61, 272]. It is also a source of starch or arrowroot[2, 61]. Much used and relished in Chinese cooking, the root has a mild flavour[178] and a crisp texture[206]. It can be cooked with other vegetables, soaked in syrup or pickled in vinegar[264]. The root contains about 1.7% protein, 0.1% fat, 9.7% carbohydrate, 1.1% ash[179]. Young leaves - cooked or raw[46, 61, 117, 183]. Used as a vegetable[272]. The leaves can also be used to wrap small parcels of food before cooking them[264]. Stems - cooked. A taste somewhat like beet[2, 105]. They are usually peeled before use[193]. Seed - raw or cooked[1, 46, 51, 183, 272]. A delicate flavour[2]. The seed can be popped like popcorn, ground into a powder and used in making bread or eaten dry[183]. The bitter tasting embryo is often removed[116, 117]. The seed contains about 15.9% protein, 2.8% fat, 70% carbohydrate, 3.9% ash[179]. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[183]. Petals can be floated in soups or used as a garnish[183]. The stamens are used to flavour tea[183].
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antidiarrhoeal; Astringent; Cancer; Cardiotonic; Febrifuge; Hypotensive; Miscellany; Miscellany; Resolvent; Stomachic; Styptic;
Tonic; Vasodilator.
The Sacred water lotus has been used in the Orient as a medicinal herb for well over 1,500 years[238]. All parts of the plant are used, they are astringent, cardiotonic, febrifuge, hypotensive, resolvent, stomachic, styptic, tonic and vasodilator[116, 147, 152, 176, 238, 240]. The leaf juice is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and is decocted with liquorice (Glycyrrhiza spp) for the treatment of sunstroke[218]. A decoction of the flowers is used in the treatment of premature ejaculation[218]. The flowers are recommended as a cardiac tonic[240]. A decoction of the floral receptacle is used in the treatment of abdominal cramps, bloody discharges etc[218]. The flower stalk is haemostatic[176]. It is used in treating bleeding gastric ulcers, excessive menstruation, post-partum haemorrhage[238]. The stamens are used in treating urinary frequency, premature ejaculation, haemolysis, epistasis and uterine bleeding[176, 238]. A decoction of the fruit is used in the treatment of agitation, fever, heart complaints etc[218]. The seed contains several medically active constituents, including alkaloids and flavonoids[279]. It is hypotensive, sedative and vasodilator[176, 279]. The seed has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and to relax the smooth muscle of the uterus[279]. It is used in the treatment of poor digestion, enteritis, chronic diarrhoea, spermatorrhoea, leukorrhoea, insomnia, palpitations etc[176, 218, 238, 279]. The plumule and radicle are used to treat thirst in high febrile disease, hypertension, insomnia and restlessness[176, 238]. The root is tonic[218]. The root starch is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery etc, a paste is applied to ringworm and other skin ailments[218]. It is also taken internally in the treatment of haemorrhages, excessive menstruation and nosebleeds[238]. The roots are harvested in autumn or winter and dried for later use[238]. The root nodes are used in the treatment of nasal bleeding, haemoptysis, haematuria and functional bleeding of the uterus[176]. The plant has a folk history in the treatment of cancer, modern research has isolated certain compounds from the plant that show anticancer activity[218].
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Cultivation details
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Requires a rich loam[1]. Succeeds in water up to 2.5 metres deep[200]. In cooler climates, however, it should be grown in shallower water, though no less than 30 cm deep, which will warm up more quickly and encourage better growth and flowering[200]. The plant is happiest with water temperatures of 23 - 27°c in the growing season[260] and requires a five month growing season[264]. This species is not tremendously hardy when grown outdoors in Britain and it is best, once the leaves have died down in the autumn, to store the roots in a frost-free place, either in a tub of water or in moist sand[264].. Plants are resentful of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions as soon as possible[200]. Once established, they can become invasive when growing in suitable conditions[238]. A very ornamental plant[1], there are many named varieties some of which have been developed for their edible uses[183]. It is said that pink-flowered forms are preferred for their edible seeds whilst the white-flowered forms are preferred for their edible roots[264]. Most forms are not cold-hardy outdoors in Britain but some, especially those from far eastern provenances are much hardier and will possibly succeed outdoors in favoured areas of Britain[200]. The flowers have a sweet fruity perfume[245]. This is the sacred Lotus of India and it is much cultivated as a food plant in the Orient[1, 2].
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Propagation
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Seed - file the seed across its centre, being very careful not to damage the flesh of the seed, and soak in warm water, changing the water twice a day until signs of germination are seen, which should be within 3 - 4 weeks at 25°c. Plant in individual pots just covered in water and increase the depth as the plant grows. Division in spring as the plant comes into growth. Be very careful, the plants deeply resent root disturbance[200].
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Botanical References
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51200
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Links / References
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
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Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
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[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.
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An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
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[51]Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas.
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A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.
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[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
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Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
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[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
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The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
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[116]Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2.
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A small booklet packed with information.
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[117]Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts.
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A very readable and comprehensive guide. Well illustrated.
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[147]? A Barefoot Doctors Manual.
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A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
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[152]Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T. Australian Medicinal Plants.
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A very good and readable guide to the subject.
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[176]Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas.
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An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
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[178]Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica.
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A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
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[179]Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao.
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A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
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[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
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Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
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[193]Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia.
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Well presented, clear information and good photographs. An interesting read for the casual reader as well as the enthusiast
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[206]Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables
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Well written and very informative.
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[218]Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China
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Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
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[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
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A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
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[240]Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
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Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
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[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.
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An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
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[260]Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
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Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
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[264]Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables
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Excellent and easily read book with good information and an excellent collection of photos of vegetables from around the world, including many unusual species.
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[272]Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal
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Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
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[279] Medicinal Plants in the Republic of Korea
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An excellent book with terse details about the medicinal uses of the plants with references to scientific trials. All plants are described, illustrated and brief details of habitats given.
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Subject : Nelumbo nucifera
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