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Common Name: Manchurian Wild Rice

General Information

Zizania latifolia is a perennial plant that can grow up to 3.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Manchuria.

Habitat

Swamps marshes etc in running or stagnant shallow water[, ]. Shallow water of lake margins and swamps, often forming large patches[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	3.50 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A marsh or water plant requiring shallow stagnant or slowly flowing water, it is easily grown in most soils in a sunny position[]. Prefers a slightly acidic clay-loam soil[].
One report suggests that the plant is in hardiness zone 9 (only tolerating light frosts)[] but this is rather questionable, there are several reports of the plant being perfectly hardy in Britain, though it does not usually flower in this country[]. It requires hot summers with temperatures between 20 - 30°c if it is to do well[].
The young shoots and rhizomes are edible when infected, swollen, and softened by the fungus Ustilago esculenta. The presence of this fungus, however, prevents the plant from flowering[].
It is often cultivated as a food crop in E. Asia and is often grown as cover for wild fowl along the sides of lakes in Britain[]. It grows very well at Kew[].

Edible Uses

The swollen stem bases, infected with the smut fungus Ustilago esculenta, are eaten as a vegetable by the Chinese[, , ]. They must be harvested before the fungus starts to produce spores since the flesh deteriorates at this time[]. They are parboiled then sautéed with other vegetables and have a nutty flavour reminiscent of coconut[]. The wild forms of this species have developed resistance to the smut, so specially disease-susceptible cultivars are grown[].
Seed - cooked[, , ]. It can be used like rice in sweet or savoury dishes[]. The seed can also be ground into a flour and used in making cakes, biscuits etc[]. The seed contains about 13.7% protein, 0.9% fat, 72.7% carbohydrate, 0.7% ash[].
Young inflorescences - cooked and used as a vegetable[].
Young shoots - raw or cooked[, , ]. A pleasant sweet taste[]. The shoots contain about 1% protein, 0.3% fat, 4.7% carbohydrate, 0.7% ash[].
Root[, ]. No more details.

Medicinal

The shoots, roots and the seed are diuretic and febrifuge[, ].
The leaves are tonic[].

Other Uses

The leaves are woven into mats[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - it must not be allowed to dry out or it will quickly lose its viability, usually within 4 weeks[]. Store collected seed in jars of water in a cool place such as the salad compartment of a fridge. Sow the seed in a greenhouse in spring. Immerse the pots so that they are covered by about 5cm of water. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.