Anyone tried Water Chestnut?

[Kingfisher]

Not to eat them but plant them in aquarium? I have seen in picture only, that they have nice floating leaves.

[hwchoy]

don't! they run all over and get huge!

[budak]

if you are talking about the "Ma3 Ti4" crunchy bulb, that is also known as Eleocharis dulcis, a member of the hairgrass or sedge family.

It won't survive underwater unless your tank is open-top allowing the very long stalks (3 ft or more) to grow out of the water. Even then they need sun-bright light, so won't thrive indoors short of a MH.

Or you could grow it in a little water-tight pot.... bury the bulb halfway in wet gravel/soil mix and place it in a bright location.

[Kingfisher]

ic, so it's not recommend. Last time only planted them in a bowl with marbles.

[hwchoy]

water chestnut in a bowl? are you referring to "chi gu" which is a sagitaria sp.? the leaves is arrow-shaped. the water chestnut has tubular leaves.

[leclair]

Tried it on a OHF. The sponge like tubular leaves grew to about 2 ft long. Didnt know that it will have floating leaves??

[budak]

Both the Ma ti as well as the water caltrop which has floating leaeves (see other post) are commonly called water chestnut..... but they are very different, unrelated species.

[Kingfisher]

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On 10/5/2003 3:46:45 AM

water chestnut in a bowl? are you referring to "chi gu" which is a sagitaria sp.? the leaves is arrow-shaped. the water chestnut has tubular leaves.
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Nope, it's water chestnut, the black colour ones.

[Kingfisher]

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On 10/5/2003 9:19:14 AM

Both the Ma ti as well as the water caltrop which has floating leaeves (see other post) are commonly called water chestnut..... but they are very different, unrelated species.
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From the search engines, they seem to lump two of them together.

[budak]

that is why scientific names are necessary for proper ID - vernacular names only confuse people. SO there are two "water chestnuts" - think how many "red stem plants", "green tetras" are out there.

[Kingfisher]

Gosh, I don't even know what is the scientific name for Water Chestnut.

[hwchoy]

the water chestnut we use to make drink is the Eleocharis dulcis and this is a relative of the hairgrass which is Eleocharis acicularis and a couple of other species.

Those we plant in a bowl with marbles, especially during CNY is Sagitaria sp. don't know exactly which species.

The 'ling jiao' or caltrop is Trapa natans and is a completely different plant with floating leaves. I don't believe the sagitaria has floating leaves, it is a marsh plant.

In fact locally only the first one is called water chestnut (ask Yeo Hiap Seng!) the rest are primarily used in US/Europe.

[Kingfisher]

I did grow the Eleocharis dulcis and not the one from CNY variety. That was more than 15 years ago and I can only remember it has quite big leaves and grow very tall.

[hwchoy]

huh? I don't know what you planted 15 years ago but the ones I grew (stole some from my wife booty) has tubular leaves, and so does these from the net…

[Kingfisher]

Unless I mix up with some other plant that I also have the other time.

[Georgeer]

Can these water chesnut be harvest at the end of the day?

[hwchoy]

don't see why not, unless they're so skinny due to malnourishment, you know they taste best when fed lots of sh!t

[hwchoy]

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On 10/5/2003 9:59:06 PM

Unless I mix up with some other plant that I also have the other time.
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most likely ler [:]

[Kingfisher]

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On 10/6/2003 11:37:58 AM

don't see why not, unless they're so skinny due to malnourishment, you know they taste best when fed lots of sh!t
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How you know? []

[hwchoy]

If you have had seafood at tekong before (before SAF took over) you'd know the best crabs come from below the jetty where they have the loo