Makhana (Fox Nut)
Euryale ferox
📖 About this plant
Makhana (Euryale ferox), also called fox nut, gorgon nut, or prickly water lily, is a unique aquatic plant in the Nymphaeaceae (water lily) family, cultivated for its edible starchy seeds — the famous “makhana” or “phool makhana” of Indian cuisine. Native to South and East Asia (India, China, Korea, Japan), makhana has been cultivated in India for over 2,000 years and is deeply embedded in the food culture, religious fasting (vrat) cuisine, and Ayurvedic medicine of the country. India produces over 80% of the worlds makhana, with major cultivation in Bihar (especially Mithila region — Darbhanga, Madhubani, and Purnia), parts of West Bengal, Assam, and Manipur. The plant is a striking aquatic — large (50-100 cm across) floating leaves that are dark green on top and purplish beneath, covered in sharp prickles; large showy violet-purple flowers that open at night above the water; and spiny fruits containing 15-30 small black seeds each. The plant is remarkable in that every part is prickly — leaves, stems, fruits, and even seeds — making harvest a labor-intensive process. The seeds (the makhana) are processed by sun-drying, then roasting in hot sand or iron pans at 200-300°C, and finally popped by hand pressure to produce the familiar puffed white lotus-seed-like makhana. The popped makhana is light, crunchy, very low in fat, and rich in easily-digested carbohydrates, plant protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. It is used in Indian sweets (makhana kheer, makhana payasam), savory snacks (roasted makhana with spices, makhana raita, makhana curry, makhana paneer), and Ayurvedic preparations. Makhana is considered a “superfood” — it is gluten-free, low-glycemic, highly nutritious, and recommended for fasting, postpartum recovery, and as a snack for diabetics. The Mithila Makhana from Bihar has GI status.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (on water surface)
Aquatic — grows in standing water 30-150 cm deep
High (aquatic plant)
20-35°C
Rich pond mud / clay loam at bottom of water body; pH 6.0-7.5
Aquatic plant food; compost in pond mud
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- South and East Asia (India, China, Korea, Japan)
- 📏 Max height
- Floating leaves 50-100 cm across on water surface
- 📐 Spread
- 1-3 m diameter patch
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer; large violet-purple flowers above water
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Violet-purple
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Large round floating leaves, dark green above, purple beneath, with prickles
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Annual (perennial in tropical climates)
- 📈 Growth rate
- Fast — harvest in 5-7 months
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic; safe for humans and pets
- 🌱 Propagation
- Seeds (sown in pond bottom)
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic; safe for humans and pets
Common issues
- Aquatic pests (snails, fish, water insects)
- water pollution sensitivity
- algae overgrowth
- fungal leaf spot
- root rot from stagnant water
- poor seed set from inadequate pollination
- low yield from cold temperatures
💡 Care tips
- Makhana requires a pond, large water tank, or flooded field — it cannot be grown in regular garden soil.
- Plant fresh seeds 2-3 cm deep in the mud at the bottom of a pond filled with 30-150 cm of water (deeper water = larger leaves but fewer flowers; shallower water = more flowers and fruits).
- Plant in spring when water temperature reaches 25°C.
- Use rich clay loam or pond mud as the substrate.
- The plant grows rapidly once established and produces leaves that float on the surface.
- Maintain water level — do not let the pond dry out.
- The plant is essentially pest-free in clean water but suffers in polluted or stagnant conditions.
- Flowers bloom at night and are pollinated by insects (or hand-pollinate by transferring pollen between flowers with a soft brush).
- Fruits develop underwater after the flower fades.
- Harvest fruits 5-7 months after planting when they turn dark and start to split — carefully (spines are sharp; wear thick gloves).
- Extract seeds from fruits and sun-dry for 2-3 days.
- To pop makhana: roast dried seeds in hot sand or on a hot iron griddle at 250°C for 5-7 minutes, then immediately press each seed with a flat tool to pop it (the seed coat splits and the white interior expands).
- The popped makhana is ready to use or store.
- In home gardens without a pond, makhana can be grown in large water tubs (200+ liter capacity) filled with 50-80 cm of water and 20 cm of mud at the bottom.