How to Grow Singhara Plant | Growing Water Caltrop

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Last Updated: 19.10.2023

Remember the black fruit resembling coal on the streets in Winters? It is popular for its innumerable uses. Here’s how to grow Singhara Plant!

Singhara Plant

Singhara Plant brings back memories of childhood! Packed with nutrition, this plant is also quite easy to grow if you take care of its basic requirements. Let’s have a look in detail!

Learn how to grow Gol Mirch in India here


Singhara Plant

Singhara Plant, also popular as Indian Water chestnut or Water Caltrop in English, is an aquatic plant with a rough, thick-skin enclosing white flesh. This plant grows in a mat-like formation, with upper leaves floating on the surface while the lower ones remain submerged. More than two-thirds of the plant remains submerged in the water. This plant usually grows in ponds, marshes, and lakes and requires full sunlight with rich organic content.

After pollination, the plant submerges itself so that the fruit can develop. When mature, the fruits drop off in the water, where a net is used to collect them.

Botanical Name: Trapa natans

Check out everything about Growing Paan in Water here!


Singhara Plant Different Indian Languages

  • Singhara in English Name: Water chestnut/Water Caltrop
  • Singhara in Tamil: Pannimonthan Kizhangu
  • Singhara Fruit in Marathi: शिंगाडे फळ
  • Singhara in Telugu: Kubyakam, Pandi Gadda
  • Singhara Fruit in Kannada: Mullu kombu beeja, Mullukombu beeja

Propagation of Singhara Plant

You can easily grow the singhara plant with seeds. Keep them in a container of water to germinate, then plant them in a mini pond or a large bowl of water with a rich soil layer at the base. For more details, watch the video here. 

Check out Ways for Propagating Jade Plant in Water here!


Requirements to Grow Singhara Plant

Location

Singhara Plant needs plenty of direct sunlight to grow well. Choose a location with a minimum of 5-6 hours of direct sun daily. If you are growing them in a large bowl, place it in the sunniest spot in the garden.

Soil

For bigger fruits and maximum yield per plant, use fertile soil at the base of the pond or the bowl. Use sandy, loamy soil with a pH level of 6.5 to 7.2.

Water

Like rice, you need to keep these plants well-watered all the time. Keep the growing medium saturated with water. For more details, you can watch a video here. 

 


Singhara Plant Care

Singhara Plant 2
shutterstock/finchfocus

Fertilizer

The plant can benefit a lot from fertlizer at different stages of its growth. Use a balanced liquid fertilizer, once in 3 weeks. Do refer to the label for dosage and instructions. You can also use a blend that’s rich in phosphorus and potassium. A slow-release 16-6-8 fertilizer will also work just fine.

Check out how Fertilizers are Different from Manure here!


Harvesting Water Caltrop

When the top of the plant starts to take a yellow or brown hue, this is the indication that the tubers are ready to harvest. Dig out the entire plant and carefully take the tubers without damaging them. Watch this video for details.

Wash them well before consuming.

 


Singhara Atta

Singhara atta is rich in proteins and nutrients while being very low in calories, which makes it a fantastic addition to the daily diet. 

  • Singhara flour works wonders to retain water levels in the body.
  • Singhara Atta is best for fasting.
  • Singhara Atta is also a rich iron, calcium, zinc, and phosphorous source.
  • The Singhara flour has no cholesterol.
  • Being high in fiber, singhara flour also helps in weight loss.
  • The best part is that Singhara atta is also gluten-free!
  • You can also use Singhara atta to make different sweets!

Check Out the Best Indian Vegetable Seeds to Buy for Ample Harvest here!

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