# Common Cottongrass (*Eriophorum angustifolium*)

Common Cottongrass is a fluffy plant that grows in wet areas like marshes and bogs. Its soft, white tufts look like cotton and can sway gently in the breeze, making it a fun sight to see!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Wetlands

![Common Cottongrass](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/00_3892_Schmalbl%C3%A4ttrige_Wollgras_%28Eriophorum_angustifolium%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:00_3892_Schmalbl%C3%A4ttrige_Wollgras_%28Eriophorum_angustifolium%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Common Cottongrass has slender, grass-like green leaves. Its most striking feature is the pure white, fluffy, cotton-like tufts that appear in summer, making wet moorlands look like they're covered in snow.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Poales
- **Family:** Cyperaceae
- **Genus:** Eriophorum

## Interesting facts

- Its fluffy tufts were once used by people to stuff pillows and make paper!
- Reindeer and geese love to snack on the yummy stems of Cottongrass in spring!
- This plant helps build up peat, a special soil made from super old plants!
- You can even eat parts of this plant, like the young shoots and roots!

## Special abilities

- **Bog Survivor:** Common Cottongrass can grow in super wet, boggy soils that most plants can't, thanks to its special roots!
- **Wind Rider:** Common Cottongrass has incredibly light, fluffy seeds that can float far away on the wind to find new homes.
- **Underground Spreader:** Common Cottongrass has underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread out and form large colonies in wet areas.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-60 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Reindeer (*Rangifer tarandus*) — Reindeer and caribou graze on its shoots.
- **Eaten by:** Greylag Goose (*Anser anser*) — Greylag geese feast on its tender stems.
- **Eaten by:** Norway Lemming (*Lemmus lemmus*) — Lemmings forage on its leaves and stems.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [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.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [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)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always stay on paths when exploring wetlands to protect plants and animals.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Common Cottongrass?

Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Common Cottongrass?

20-60 cm

### When does Common Cottongrass bloom?

Late spring to summer

### Is Common Cottongrass edible?

Yes

### Is Common Cottongrass toxic?

None

### What is Common Cottongrass's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Common Cottongrass pollinated?

Wind

### Where is Common Cottongrass usually found?

Wetlands

## Where to spot

- [Guard Island Light](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guard-island-light) — US · Historic District
- [St. Elmo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/st-elmo) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood
- [Naturpark Solling-Vogler im Weserbergland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-solling-vogler-im-weserbergland) — Niedersachsen, DE · Park
- [Naturpark Erzgebirge/Vogtland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/naturpark-erzgebirge-vogtland) — Sachsen, DE · Park

[View all places to see Common Cottongrass](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-cottongrass)

## 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: [Common Cottongrass: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-cottongrass)