On Water Chestnuts...

[wytchlady]

So I want to plant water chestnut. I was fearful though after glancing at some articles that it had been deemed invasive in the US. On further investigation I find that the edible water chestnut that we are familiar with is Eleocharis dulcis what is commonly called water chestnut in the US is actually Trapa natans. While Trapa natans (a.k.a. water caltrop) is not what we are familiar with it too has been cultivated in the east and in India and even southern European countries have depended on it as a food source. It may have actually been a primary food source in times of crop failures.

We have an invasive plant that can be eaten as a primary food source. We have hungry people. WTF?