buckwheat - Cultivation, Trivia

An erect annual (Fagopyrum esculentum) with spear-shaped leaves and a terminal cluster of tiny pink or white flowers; fruit a triangular nut c.6 mm/¼ in long; native to C Asia and cultivated as a substitute for cereals. (Family: Polygonaceae.)

For the Our Gang/Little Rascals character, see Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas.

iCommon Buckwheat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Polygonaceae Genus: Fagopyrum Species: F. esculentum
Binomial name
Fagopyrum esculentum Moench

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is a plant in the genus Fagopyrum (sometimes merged into genus Polygonum) in the family Polygonaceae. Buckwheat is most likely descended from wild buckwheat, though it does not share its vine-like growth habit.

The name "buckwheat" or "beech wheat" comes from its triangular seeds, which resemble the much larger seeds of the beech nut from the beech tree, and the fact that it is used like wheat.

Cultivation

Common buckwheat was domesticated and first cultivated in southwest Asia, possibly around 6000 BC, and from there spread westwards to Europe and eastwards to Central Asia and then into Tibet and China.

Buckwheat is a short season crop that does well on poor, somewhat acidic soils, but the soil must be well drained.

Common buckwheat is by far the most important buckwheat species, economically, accounting for over 90% of the world's buckwheat production. Buckwheat groats are also commonly used in eastern Europe, often in form of "kasha" dish.

Buckwheat pancakes, sometimes raised with yeast, are eaten in several countries.

Besides the seeds, from which buckwheat flour is produced, buckwheat is also a good honey plant, producing a dark, mellow monofloral honey.

In the past buckwheat cultivation was also used in orchards to increase the rate of pollination.

In the 1970s and 1980s, General Mills produced a sweetened, maple-flavored breakfast cereal made from buckwheat, which was marketed under the name Buc-Wheats.

Upholstery filling

Buckwheat hulls are used as filling for a variety of upholstered goods, including pillows and zafu.

Medical studies to measure the health effects of buckwheat hull pillows have been performed.

Buckwheat and beer

In recent years, buckwheat has been used as a substitute for other grain in gluten free beer. Buckwheat is 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.

Trivia

The buckwheat plant is celebrated in Preston County, West Virginia at their Buckwheat Festival where people can participate in swine, cow, and sheep judging contests, vegetable contests, and craft fairs.