The tiger nut is neither a nut nor an almond and delights with its unique, sweet taste. We introduce the tiger nut and give tips on growing it in your own garden.
The tiger nut has been found in organic shops for a number of years and is considered to be extremely he althy. The sweet nodules also grow with us, in pots or in the garden. Find out more about the origin of the tiger nut, its properties and special aspects of cultivation.
Tiger nut: origin and properties of the tiger nut
The tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) is also known as a tiger nut or chufa nut and originally comes from Africa. It first made its way to Spain in the 8th century and from there further north. Tigernuts have been known in Germany for a long time and have been cultivated here since at least the 19th century. In 1849 Heinrich von Gerstenbergk published the book "The tigernut tree in general and the secret found in it to get rich quickly" by Heinrich von Gerstenbergk, in which farmers received instructions for successfully cultivating the valuable and found expensive tickets.
The tiger nut is not related to the almond, it belongs to the sour grasses (Cyperaceae). The plant reaches a height of 30 to 60 centimeters. Their leaves are triangular, grass-like, tapering and about 0.5 to 1 centimeter wide. In late summer, isolated yellowish flowers form, but mostly the tigernut plant does not bloom in our country. Below ground, small light brown to black nodules form on thick white roots, the actual tigernuts. Depending on the variety, they can reach a length of up to 3 centimeters. Between the pea-sized variety 'Prolific', the large black 'Large Black' and the wonderfully sweet 'Long Sweet' there are numerous other varieties of tiger nuts. All varieties have a sweet and nutty taste, to which they owe the name tigernut.
Tip: In many regions, the tiger nut is an invasive neophyte that grows wild on fields and quickly displaces native plants. in theYou should therefore handle it carefully in your own garden so that it does not spread from there. This includes using a root barrier and preventing flowering by cutting off buds directly.
Plant tigernuts
Tigernuts love warmth, but do not tolerate severe drought. You therefore need a sunny location on loose soil that has good water storage and never completely dry out. The tasty tiger nuts are only propagated via their underground nodules. So-called tigernut seeds are commercially available, but these are the root nodules. From the end of May, the tiger nut can be planted outdoors, because then the soil is warm enough for the plant, which comes from Africa. Earlier in the year, from March, the plants can be grown indoors in pots and placed outside or planted later. Soak the nodules in lukewarm water overnight to propel them forward. Now fill pots for the individual tigernuts with a nutrient-poor potting soil, such as our Plantura organic herb and seed soil. The peat-free, compost-rich substrate stores moisture for optimal plant development and still ensures adequate ventilation of the young roots. The individual tiger nuts are placed in the pots, covered with about 2 cm of soil and watered vigorously once. At 20 to 25 °C, the nodules will soon sprout the first roots and begin to form shoots. After sprouting, let the seedlings continue to grow in a cooler and brighter place until planting. At the end of May, the tigernuts are now allowed to go outside. To grow tigernuts in a bed, the plants should be planted 30 x 30 cm apart in the ground, work in some predominantly organic long-term fertilizer all around, such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer, and water vigorously after planting. The plant-based granulate is decomposed over time by soil organisms and thus releases the nutrients it contains for the tiger nut plant over the long term.
For growing in pots, place two or three plants together in a medium-sized, approximately 10-litre container filled with nutrient-rich potting soil, add some slow-release fertilizer and water vigorously. Then place the pot in a warm, sunny spot. To prevent the soil from drying out on hot days, the surface of the soil should be mulched regularly, for example with grass clippings or bark mulch.
Tip: Especially in warmer regions, the tigernut likes to grow rampant and quickly spreads uncontrollably. A about 30 cmdeep root barrier around the bed effectively prevents this.
Caring for Tigernuts
Caring for the tiger nut is quite easy, because in summer it only needs to be watered regularly so that many root nodules form and the plants do not suffer from drought. Apart from fertilizer when planting, the tiger nut does not require any additional nutrient supply.
After the harvest, it's time to overwinter the nodules for the next season. The tiger nut can be overwintered either indoors in the form of dried nodules or outdoors. The plant itself dies above ground in autumn, but the nodules of the tigernut are conditionally hardy and sprout again in the next spring after mild winters. A thick layer of mulch from leaves also protects the tigernuts sitting in the ground during the cold season.
Harvest and preserve tigernuts
The tiger nut harvest begins in October, when the foliage of the grass-like plants turns brown and dies. With the help of a digging fork, you can lift the root system and the delicious nodules out of the ground. The tigernuts can now be easily collected, but you should only wash them shortly before use. Fresh from the ground, only gently washed and with the skin on, the tigernuts taste particularly delicious. However, the tiger nuts can also be gently and slowly dried at 50 - 60 °C in the oven or dehydrator and thus preserved for up to two years.
Uses and ingredients of tigernuts
Tiger nuts are a real alternative for all nut allergy sufferers and are particularly well tolerated. Tigernuts are extremely he althy, they contain many minerals and vitamins such as biotin, calcium, potassium and magnesium. They consist of about a quarter fat, almost a third carbohydrates and about 7% protein. The high fiber content of between 14 and 24% is particularly filling and digestible. Tigernuts therefore have a particularly positive effect on the intestines. The root nodules can be eaten raw, but they are usually found in the form of tigernut flour or roasted and shaved as an ingredient for tigernut mueslis or porridge. Whole, dried tiger nuts can serve as a filling, he althy snack between meals. In Spain, tiger nuts are processed into horchata de chufa, a soft drink made from sugar and ground and soaked tiger nuts.
Tigernuts and peanuts are connected except for where they were developedhardly anything. But the peanut, which comes from South America, can also be cultivated here. Find out more about the botany and cultivation of the popular legume in our special article.