Zizania aquatica

Zizania aquatica is a ANNUAL growing to 3.5 m by 0.2 m at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is monoecious and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light , medium and heavy soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It can grow in water.

Easily grown in water up to 60cm deep, it tolerates water up to 1 metre deep though it prefers growing in water 10 - 20cm deep. It dislikes stagnant water. A very ornamental plant, it grows, flowers and fruits well in the lake and lily pond at Kew. Plants can self-sow in Britain, but the seed tends to germinate too late to mature a fresh crop of seed in this country, so the plant gradually dies out. It would possibly maintain itself in areas such as the Isle of Wight, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. It is a very hardy plant, the seed survives being frozen in ice. Plants grown at a 30cm square spacing can produce 20 or more flowering shoots. Often collected from the wild, this plant is now being cultivated commercially for its edible seed. It is considered a gourmet's delicacy and is sold in many parts of the world, usually in health food shops and usually at a very high price. Plants require protection from wild fowl otherwise they will devour the young growth. Plants are occasionally sown by lakes and rivers in Europe to attract wild fowl.