Cattail

Typha latifolia

Cattails are tall, slender plants found near water. They have fluffy, brown flower spikes that look like hot dogs. Cattails provide homes for birds and insects and help keep water clean.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Cattail is a tall, reed-like plant featuring long, flat, sword-shaped green leaves. It is easily recognized by its distinctive, brown, sausage-shaped flower and seed head perched atop a sturdy stalk, which gives the plant its name.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderPoalesFamilyTyphaceaeGenusTypha

Photo: AndrawaagCC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗

Cattail

Interesting facts

A single cattail head can release over 250,000 tiny, parachute-like seeds into the wind!

All parts of the cattail, from root to flower, are edible at different times of the year!

Ancient people used fluffy cattail seeds to stuff pillows and mattresses for comfort!

Even today, some survivalists know how to use cattails for food, shelter, and fire-starting!

Special abilities

Cattail's roots absorb pollutants from water, cleaning habitats and making them safer for other living things.

Cattail has underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread widely and form dense, thriving colonies.

Cattail has thousands of tiny, fluffy seeds that drift on the wind, helping them travel far to new watery homes.

Measurements & details

Height: 150-300 cm
Spread: 50-150 cm
Flower Size: 10-40 cm
Bloom Season: Summer
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Wind

Ecological connections

Eats

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Consumes roots, stems, and leaves.

Eats

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Feeds on rhizomes and young shoots.

Shelter

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Builds nests within dense cattail stands.

Shelter

Bluegill

Lepomis macrochirus

Uses dense stands for protection and spawning.

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Grass-Like

Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves.

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Broadleaf Tree

Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.

Medicinal

Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.

Also known as

BulrushCattailsCommon Cattail

Collections

Plants Wetland Plants

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Enjoy cattails from a safe distance and avoid picking them without permission.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Cattail?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How tall is Cattail?

150-300 cm

How wide does Cattail spread?

50-150 cm

How big are the flowers on Cattail?

10-40 cm

When does Cattail bloom?

Summer

Is Cattail edible?

Yes

Is Cattail toxic?

None