Common buckwheat is a plant that grows abundantly and has many uses for both humans and insects. In the West, it is regarded as a necessary ingredient in the preparation of rice and pastries. Aside from humans, bees receive pollen and nectar from this plant’s white flowers, which can be utilized to make honey.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) or common buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. Buckwheat originated around the 6th millennium BCE in the region of what is now Yunnan Province in southwestern China.
Fagopyrum esculentum is native to south-central China and Tibet, and has been introduced into suitable climates across Eurasia, Africa and the Americas.
The name “buckwheat” or “beech wheat” comes from its tetrahedral seeds, which resemble the much larger seeds of the beech nut from the beech tree, and the fact that it is used like wheat. The word may be a translation of Middle Dutch boecweite: boec “beech” (Modern Dutch beuk; see PIE *bhago-) and weite “wheat” (Mod. Dut. tarwe, antiquated weit), or maybe a native formation on the same model as the Dutch word.
Despite its name, buckwheat is not closely related to wheat. Buckwheat is not a cereal, nor is it even a member of the grass family. It is related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb.
Buckwheat is a herbaceous annual flowering plant growing to about 60 centimeters (24 in), with red stems and pink and white flowers resembling those of knotweeds. The leaves are arrow-shaped and the fruits are achenes about 5–7 mm with 3 prominent sharp angles.
Buckwheat is a short-season crop that grows well in low-fertility or acidic soils; too much fertilizer – especially nitrogen – reduces yields, and the soil must be well drained. In hot climates buckwheat can be grown only by sowing late in the season, so that it blooms in cooler weather. The presence of pollinators greatly increases yield. Nectar from flowering buckwheat produces a dark-colored honey.
The buckwheat plant has a branching root system with a primary taproot that reaches deeply into moist soil. It grows 75 to 125 centimetres (30 to 50 inches) tall. Buckwheat has tetrahedral seeds and produces a flower that is usually white, although can also be pink or yellow. Buckwheat branches freely, as opposed to tillering or producing suckers, enabling more complete adaptation to its environment than other cereal crops.
Buckwheat is only raised for grain where a brief time is available for growth, either because the buckwheat is an early or a second crop in the season, or because the total growing season is limited. It establishes quickly, which suppresses summer weeds, and can be a reliable cover crop in summer to fit a small slot of warm season. Buckwheat has a growing period of only 10–12 weeks and it can be grown in high latitude or northern areas. Buckwheat is sometimes used as a green manure, as a plant for erosion control or as wildlife cover and feed.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Common buckwheat flourishes optimally under full sun conditions, which facilitate robust growth and optimal seed production. The preference for ample light means that this plant should be sited in locations that receive unfiltered sunlight for the majority of the day. While common buckwheat displays adaptability to different light intensities, deviations from full sun may lead to reduced vigor and lower yields.
Outdoor planting should focus on open areas where sunlight is abundant, without the shade from larger plants or structures that may impede light exposure. The full sun not only fuels photosynthesis but also helps common buckwheat maintain healthy development throughout the growing season.
Watering
Thriving in its native temperate climate, common buckwheat has adapted to moderate moisture levels, displaying a preference for consistent soil hydration without being waterlogged. It exhibits a balanced approach to water intake, neither drought-tolerant nor requiring high humidity. Its watering schedule should reflect this balance with watering every week. Given that common buckwheat is predominantly an outdoor crop, it’s important to consider the growing season when adjusting irrigation practices; during peak growth periods, common buckwheat’s water demand may increase due to higher transpiration rates.
Fertilizing
For common buckwheat, apply high phosphorus fertilizer to bolster flowering and seed production. Initiate fertilization at seeding and repeat monthly during growth. Use moderate amounts to prevent nutrient excess or deficiency. Seasonal adjustments align with active growth in spring and summer. Tip: conduct soil tests pre-season for precise nutrient management, enhancing common buckwheat’s vigor and yield. Adhere to product guidelines to safeguard common buckwheat and the environment.
Propagation
Common buckwheat is best propagated through sowing. The seeds should be planted directly in well-drained, loamy soil with good sun exposure. For optimal growth, maintain adequate spacing to prevent overcrowding and ensure proper air circulation. Consistent moisture is crucial during germination, but once established, common buckwheat is relatively drought-tolerant. Furthermore, promoting strong root development early on will result in healthier and more productive plants.
Transplanting
Transplant common buckwheat in the favorable S1-S3 season, otherwise known as spring to early summer. This provides optimal growing conditions and enhances plant health. Choose a well-drained, sunny spot to boost its growth. While transplanting, maintain the soil ball to protect the roots, ensuring its successful establishment. Remember, accurate information leads to flourishing plants!
Pests and Diseases
No serious insect or disease issues. Keep an eye out for root rot, leaf spot, aster yellows, powdery mildew, and sclerotinia stem rot.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Culinary use
The fruit is an achene, similar to sunflower seed, with a single seed inside a hard outer hull. The starchy endosperm is white and makes up most or all of buckwheat flour. The seed coat is green or tan, which darkens buckwheat flour. The hull is dark brown or black, and some may be included in buckwheat flour as dark specks. The dark flour is known as blé noir (black wheat) in French, along with the name sarrasin (saracen). Similarly, in Italy, it is known as grano saraceno (saracen grain). The grain can be prepared by simple dehulling, milling into farina, to whole-grain flour or to white flour. The grain can be fractionated into starch, germ and hull for specialized uses.
Buckwheat groats are commonly used in western Asia and eastern Europe. The porridge was common, and is often considered the definitive peasant dish. It is made from roasted groats that are cooked with broth to a texture similar to rice or bulgur. The dish was taken to America by Jewish, Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish immigrants who called it kasha, as it is known today, who mixed it with pasta or used it as a filling for cabbage rolls (stuffed cabbage), knishes, and blintzes. Groats were the most widely used form of buckwheat worldwide during the 20th century, eaten primarily in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland, called grechka (Greek [grain]) in Belarusian, Ukrainian and Russian languages.
Buckwheat noodles have been eaten in Tibet and northern China for centuries, where the growing season is too short to raise wheat. A wooden press is used to press the dough into hot boiling water when making buckwheat noodles. Old presses found in Tibet and Shanxi share the same basic design features. The Japanese and Koreans may have learned the process of making buckwheat noodles from them.
Buckwheat noodles play a major role in the cuisines of Japan (soba) and Korea (naengmyeon, makguksu and memil guksu). Soba noodles are the subject of deep cultural importance in Japan. The difficulty of making noodles from flour with no gluten has resulted in a traditional art developed around their manufacture by hand. A jelly called memilmuk in Korea is made from buckwheat starch.
Noodles also appear in Italy, with pasta di grano saraceno in Apulia region of Southern Italy and pizzoccheri in the Valtellina region of Northern Italy.
Buckwheat pancakes are eaten in several countries. They are known as buckwheat blini in Russia, galettes bretonnes in France, ployes in Acadia, poffertjes in the Netherlands, boûketes in the Wallonia region of Belgium, kuttu ki puri in India and kachhyamba in Nepal. Similar pancakes were a common food in American pioneer days. They are light and airy when baked. The buckwheat flour gives the pancakes an earthy, mildly mushroom-like taste.
Yeasted patties called hrechanyky are made in Ukraine.
Buckwheat is a permitted sustenance during fasting in several traditions. In India, on Hindu fasting days (Navaratri, Ekadashi, Janmashtami, Maha Shivaratri, etc.), fasting people in northern states of India eat foods made of buckwheat flour. Eating cereals such as wheat or rice is prohibited during such fasting days. While strict Hindus do not even drink water during their fast, others give up cereals and salt and instead eat non-cereal foods such as buckwheat (kuttu). In the Russian Orthodox tradition, it is eaten on the St. Philip fast.
Buckwheat honey is dark, strong and aromatic. Because it does not complement other honeys, it is normally produced as a monofloral honey.
- Beverages
Beer
In recent years, buckwheat has been used as a substitute for other grains in gluten-free beer. Although it is not an actual cereal (being a pseudocereal), buckwheat can be used in the same way as barley to produce a malt that can form the basis of a mash that will brew a beer without gliadin or hordein (together gluten) and therefore can be suitable for coeliacs or others sensitive to certain glycoproteins.
Whisky
Buckwheat whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made entirely or principally from buckwheat. It is produced in the Brittany region of France and in the United States.
Shōchū
Buckwheat shōchū (焼酎) is a Japanese distilled beverage produced since the 16th Century. The taste is milder than barley shōchū.
Tea
Buckwheat tea, known as kuqiao-cha (苦荞茶) in China, memil-cha (메밀차) in Korea and soba-cha (蕎麦茶) in Japan, is a tea made from roasted buckwheat
- Upholstery filling
Buckwheat hulls are used as filling for a variety of upholstered goods, including pillows. The hulls are durable and do not insulate or reflect heat as much as synthetic filling. They are sometimes marketed as an alternative natural filling to feathers for those with allergies. However, medical studies to measure the health effects of pillows manufactured with unprocessed and uncleaned hulls concluded that such buckwheat pillows do contain higher levels of a potential allergen that may trigger asthma in susceptible individuals than do new synthetic-filled pillows.
