Water chestnut is the common name for two different kinds of aquatic plants. The Chinese water chestnut is a grasslike plant grown for its edible corms (underground stems). The other kind of water chestnut is a leafy, floating aquatic plant. It is also called the water caltrop.
The Chinese water chestnut has tube-shaped, leafless green stems that grow to about 5 feet (1.5 meters) high. It is cultivated in flooded fields similar to rice paddies. The small, rounded corms have a crispy white flesh and can be eaten raw, slightly boiled, broiled, pickled, or canned. They are a popular ingredient in Chinese foods. The Chinese water chestnut is native to China and is widely cultivated in southern China and parts of the Philippines. The plant was introduced into the United States in 1934 and grows well along much of the Atlantic Coast.
Water caltrops bear nutlike fruits that are a delicacy throughout Asia. These plants grow chiefly in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. They also can be found in some streams and lakes in the eastern and southern United States.
