Pignut

[Ricky369]

Hey

Yeasteday i was out for a walk, and i came acorss what i think was pignut, checked it with my food for free book. So i decided to try digging them out, i never really found a nut shape, or ball.

However there was like a root to it, which i tasted about 2 cm wide and a few cm long. Is the pignut further down that this, i went like 20 cm deep but couldnt find anything

Thanks

 

[Asa Samuel]

I've never found one myself but the root gets very thin, then does a right-angle to the side and that is where the "nut" part is.

 

[Ricky369]

I must take a picture, i seen a good few.

 

[andy_e]

All the Pignuts I've seen - and that's only a few - have all been within 5 - 10 cm of the surface and off at a sharp angle from the stem on a very thin root. In any case it's very easy to miss the "nut" assuming it's grown to any significant size.

Though, as with all Umbillifers - if you can't identify 100% - don't eat them.

 

[Barn Owl]

We were eating them the other day but they were all the classic 'ball' shape.

That's the only shape i've seen them.

As Andy says they weren't that far below.

 

[falling rain]

Pignut dosn't grow everywhere but it tends to like slightly damp and shaded woodland edges. So you don't get mixed up with other less desirable umbelifers (it's a relative of the carrot) the leaves are distinctly feathery. Pignut dosn't like ploughed land very much.
The tuber that you're after has a brown husk and if you squeeze it a bit between your fingers it'll come off........along with the mud.
I use a trowel to dig around the general base of the plant a few centimetres,and you'll always find the tuber. Once you've dug up a few you'll never get it confused with anything else.
I was in Dartmoor last weekend and there was loads of pignut all over the show.

 

[Pignut]

have a check on my website thingy , there is a pignut on there!

(Had to answer this one really!)

 

[falling rain]

have a check on my website thingy , there is a pignut on there!

(Had to answer this one really!)

Indeed..................you are the pignut guru. :You_Rock_

 

[Ricky369]

I was on your web site lots of great information i must add

Is the stem of the pig nut, sort of pitless like a straw?

So around 5-10 cm deep and follow the small root

 

[Pignut]

not sure on the stem will be wondering out later so will check it out for you

 

[Matt Weir]

Hi Ricky,

Here are a couple of pictures that should help.

The flower...

The nut...

 

[Ricky369]

Nope mine wasnt liek that lol. Dunno what i was eating then

I will take a picture and upload what i thouhgt was pignut then

The flowers are very similar

Great pictures matt really shows it well

Thanks for everyones help

 

[Gill]

here is some i dug up at loch ken earlier in the week. there were lots of them there .

 

[Asa Samuel]

I really want to find a pignut now

 

[Snufkin]

here is some i dug up at loch ken earlier in the week. there were lots of them there .

A fine chapeau.