# 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. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 9 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Bulrush, Cattails, Common Cattail ![Cattail](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lisdodde.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andrawaag, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lisdodde.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Poales - **Family:** Typhaceae - **Genus:** Typha ## 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 - **Water Purifier:** Cattail's roots absorb pollutants from water, cleaning habitats and making them safer for other living things. - **Rhizome Spreader:** Cattail has underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread widely and form dense, thriving colonies. - **Fluffy Seed Flight:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — Consumes roots, stems, and leaves. - **Eats:** [Canada Goose](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canada-goose) (*Branta canadensis*) — Feeds on rhizomes and young shoots. - **Shelter:** [Red-winged Blackbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-winged-blackbird) (*Agelaius phoeniceus*) — Builds nests within dense cattail stands. - **Shelter:** [Bluegill](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bluegill) (*Lepomis macrochirus*) — Uses dense stands for protection and spawning. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) - [Wetland Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/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 ### What is Cattail's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Cedarmere-Clayton Estates](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedarmere-clayton-estates) — New York, US · Historic District - [Chenango Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chenango-canal) — New York, US · Historic Site - [Union Bay Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/union-bay-natural-area) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Caleb Smith State Park Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/caleb-smith-state-park-preserve) — New York, US · State Park - [Fairview Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairview-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District [View all places to see Cattail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cattail) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Cattail: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattail)