Tiger Nuts / Chufa (Cyperus esculentus)
 
Ancient Survival Food - Horchata Plant - Perennial Vegetable
 
Don’t let the name fool you, tiger nuts aren’t nuts at all, but the sweet, nutrient-dense underground tubers of Cyperus esculentus, a plant that has fed civilizations for thousands of years. Revered from Ancient Egypt to modern Spain, this remarkable plant is best known as the source of traditional horchata de chufa, a naturally sweet, creamy beverage still cherished today.
 
A True Survival & Resilience Crop
Tiger nuts are one of the most durable food plants you can grow. Once established, they form a perennial patch that tolerates heat, drought, poor soils, and neglect—making them an exceptional choice for food security gardens, permaculture systems, and low-input growing.
 
Why Grow Tiger Nuts?
Produces edible underground tubers (chufa)
Perennial in warm climates (zones 8-13); easily grown as an annual elsewhere (zones 3-7)
Thrives in heat and full sun
High yields from a small planting area
Grown worldwide as a staple survival food
Long storage life once harvested and dried
 
Famous for Horchata
In Spain and parts of North Africa, tiger nuts are soaked and blended to create horchata, a naturally sweet, refreshing drink with a long cultural history. The tubers can also be eaten dried, soaked, ground into flour, or roasted.
 
A Plant with a Past
Tiger nuts have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, cultivated long before modern agriculture. Today, they remain a cornerstone crop in traditional food systems, quietly powerful, deeply rooted in history, and incredibly productive.
 
What You’re Getting
Fresh, viable tiger nut seed material, technically dried tubers (as seen in the first photo)
Carefully dried, stored and ready to plant
Grown for gardeners, growers, and food-focused plant lovers
 
Ideal For
Food forests & permaculture
Survival gardens
Warm climates & long summers
Growers interested in ancient or culturally significant plants
This is not a novelty crop, this is real food, with real history, and real staying power.
 
This is for 20 seeds (small dried tubers.) 
 
We combine shipping on all seed orders, you pay one flat fee for as many seeds as you would like for no additional shipping. Orders over $35 for any combination of items ship for free to the US