Yellow Nutsedge, Tiger nut

Where does Yellow Nutsedge grow?

Found in: Africa, Albania, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central Africa, Chad, Chile, China, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, East Africa, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Hawaii, Hungary, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Italy, Ivory Coast, Laos, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Spain, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Spain, St Helena, Sudan, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, Uruguay, United States, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Notes: There are 550 Cyperus species.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is an important food of several tribes in Africa. They are sold in markets in India. They are cultivated in Spain.

Growing Yellow Nutsedge, Tiger nut

Cultivation: Plants are grown from tubers. Tubers are soaked in water for 24-36 hours before being planted out. Sometimes tubers remain dormant but if they are chilled they grow better and produce more tubers. A spacing of 10-15 cm apart along rows 60 to 90 cm apart are suitable. Tubers should be placed 2.5-4 cm deep. The tubers are dug, washed and dried for 1-3 days before being sold or used.

Edible Uses: The tubers are eaten raw or baked. Sometimes they are ground into flour and boiled into a porridge. (If eaten raw they can carry contaminants that cause sickness) The oil from the tubers can be used for cooking. It is edible. The roasted tubers are used as a coffee substitute. The tubers are used as a source of potash for softening and flavouring green leafy vegetables.

Production: Yields of 800-900 kg per hectare of tubers are achieved on sandy soils. Yields of 8000-14000 kg per hectare are possible. Tiger nuts take 90-120 days to reach maturity.

Nutrition Info

Yellow Nutsedge, Tiger nut Photos

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