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Common Name: Buckwheat

General Information

Fagopyrum esculentum is an annual plant that can grow up to 1.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

This plant has caused photosensitivity in some people, only the dehusked grain is considered to be safe.

Botanical References

, ,

Range

C. Asia. An occasional casual in Britain.

Habitat

Waste ground as an escape from cultivation[]. Its original habitat is obscure.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	1.50 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees, Flies
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A very easily grown plant, it prefers dry sandy soils but succeeds in most conditions including poor[, , ], heavy[] or acid soils[] and even sub-soils[]. Prefers a cool moist climate, but it also succeeds in dry and arid regions[].
Buckwheat is frequently cultivated for its edible seed and leaves, it can produce a seed crop in 100 days from sowing[] and a crop of leaves in 8 weeks. There are some named varieties[]. The seed ripens irregularly over a period of several weeks so it is difficult to harvest[].
Plants have poor frost resistance but they are disease and insect resistant[]. They inhibit the growth of winter wheat[, , ].
The flowers have a pleasant sweet honey scent[] and are extremely attractive to bees and hoverflies[, ].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked like spinach[, , ]. Not that wonderful raw, they improve somewhat with cooking[]. The leaves are rich in rutin[] (see below for more details) and so are a very healthy addition to the diet[].
Seed - raw or cooked. A nutty flavour, though it has a somewhat gritty texture[]. The seed can be soaked overnight in warm water then sprouted for a few days and added to salads[]. It can also be ground into a powder and used as a cereal[, , ] when it can be made into pancakes, noodles, breads etc or be used as a thickening agent in soups etc[, ]. Rich in vitamin B6[]. An excellent beer can be brewed from the grain[].

Medicinal

Buckwheat is a bitter but pleasant tasting herb that is frequently used medicinally because the leaves are a good source of rutin[]. Rutin is useful in the treatment of a wide range of circulatory problems, it dilates the blood vessels, reduces capillary permeability and lowers blood pressure[, ].
The leaves and shoots of flowering plants are acrid, astringent and vasodilator[, , ]. It is used internally in the treatment of high blood pressure, gout, varicose veins, chilblains, radiation damage etc[, , ]. It is best used in conjunction with vitamin C since this aids absorption[]. Often combined with lime flowers (Tilia species), it is a specific treatment for haemorrhage into the retina[]. The leaves and flowering stems are harvested as the plant begins to flower and are dried for later use[]. They should be stored in the dark because the active ingredients rapidly degrade in the light[]. Some caution should be exercised in the use of this herb because it has been known to cause light-sensitive dermatitis[].
A poultice made from the seeds has been used for restoring the flow of milk in nursing mothers[].
An infusion of the herb has been used in the treatment of erysipelas (an acute infectious skin disease)[, ].
A homeopathic remedy has been made from the leaves[]. It is used in the treatment of eczema and liver disorders[].

Other Uses

A very good green manure plant, it can be used to reclaim badly degraded soils and subsoils[, , , ].
A blue dye is obtained from the stems[, ].
A brown dye is obtained from the flowers[].

Propagation

Seed - sow from the middle of spring to early summer in situ. The seed usually germinates in 5 days[]. The earlier sowings are for a seed or leaf crop whilst the later sowings are used mainly for leaf crops or green manure.