Leaves - raw or cooked like spinach[4 , 183 , K ]. Not that wonderful raw, they improve somewhat with cooking[K ]. The leaves are rich in rutin[171 ] (see below for more details) and so are a very healthy addition to the diet[K ]. Seed - raw or cooked. A nutty flavour, though it has a somewhat gritty texture that is not universally liked[K ]. It can be cooked like rice[299 ]. The seed can be soaked overnight in warm water then sprouted for a few days and added to salads[183 ]. It can also be ground into a powder and used as a cereal[2 , 4 , 9 ], when it can be made into pancakes, noodles, bread etc or be used as a thickening agent in soups etc[46 , 183 ]. It is popular for use in mixtures with wheat, barley or rye flour to improve the taste and nutritional value of bread and other foodstuffs. Up to 30% of buckwheat flour may be mixed in the wheat dough for baking bread[299 ]. Due to the absence of gluten, buckwheat is suitable for the diet of people with coeliac disease[299 ]. Rich in vitamin B6[160 ]. Excellent beer can be brewed from the grain[244 ]. Fresh leaves and inflorescences are used for the industrial extraction of rutin, which is applied to strengthen the inner lining of blood vessels (however, it is rather the related species Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn., which is commonly grown for rutin production). Rutin is also industrially used as a natural pigment, antioxidant, stabilizer, food preserving and absorber of UV light.

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


Buckwheat is a bitter but pleasant tasting herb that is frequently used medicinally because the leaves are a good source of rutin[238]. Rutin is useful in the treatment of a wide range of circulatory problems, it dilates the blood vessels, reduces capillary permeability and lowers blood pressure[238, 254]. The leaves and shoots of flowering plants are acrid, astringent and vasodilator[4, 141, 165]. It is used internally in the treatment of high blood pressure, gout, varicose veins, chilblains, radiation damage etc[4, 141, 165]. It is best used in conjunction with vitamin C since this aids absorption[254]. Often combined with lime flowers (Tilia species), it is a specific treatment for haemorrhage into the retina[254]. The leaves and flowering stems are harvested as the plant begins to flower and are dried for later use[238]. They should be stored in the dark because the active ingredients rapidly degrade in the light[238]. Some caution should be exercised in the use of this herb because it has been known to cause light-sensitive dermatitis[238]. A poultice made from the seeds has been used for restoring the flow of milk in nursing mothers[4]. An infusion of the herb has been used in the treatment of erysipelas (an acute infectious skin disease)[4, 244]. A homeopathic remedy has been made from the leaves[9]. It is used in the treatment of eczema and liver disorders[9].

A very good green manure plant, it can be used to reclaim badly degraded soils and subsoils[1, 18, 20, 201]. A blue dye is obtained from the stems[57, 106]. A brown dye is obtained from the flowers[4]. Livestock forage and feed: Buckwheat has historically been used as feed for cattle, pigs and chickens (Myers and Meinke, 1994). Green manure and cover crop:Buckwheat grows in the shortest time period of all cover crops (Bjorkman and Shail, 2010) flowering within 3 to 6 weeks and completely maturing within 11 to 12 weeks (Bjorkman et al., 2008). Weed suppressor: because buckwheat grows quickly, it is an excellent suppressor of weeds, and it has been used for this purpose in North America for several centuries. Cover crop: Buckwheat can also be grown as a cover crop to prevent erosion, improve soil aggregate stability, scavenge nutrients such as phosphorus and calcium, and mineralize rock phosphate (Clark, 2007; Bjorkman and Shail, 2010). Pollinator and beneficial insect habitat: Buckwheat is an excellent plant for bee pasture and insectary gardens(Mader et al., 2011; Lee-Mader et al., 2014). About one acre of buckwheat can provide enough forage for a hive of honey bees, producing about 150 pounds of honey in one season (Oplinger et al., 1989; Myers and Meinke, 1994). The flowers also attract beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps, minute pirate bugs, insidious flower bugs, tachinid flies, ladybeetles and hoverflies, which may prey on insect pests of neighboring crops (Clark, 2007; Bjorkman and Shail, 2010). Wildlife habitat:Buckwheat is sometimes an ingredient in birdseed mixes and planted with other crops for wildlife food plots(Oplinger et al., 1989). USDA.gov.

Special Uses