Flora Report on Cattails

Cattails

Typha latifolia also known as the cattail, is an edible plant native to the Northern Hemisphere. This perennial plant can be found near swamps, ponds, seeps, borders of rivers, and ditches. Its ability to live in both disturbed and natural habitats and to tolerate drought, makes this organism a dominant aquatic plant in North America.

The cattail is a tall plant with a height that averages between three and ten feet. The base, or shoot, of the cattail is edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. Also rising from the bottom are the leaves. One plant can have up to sixteen leaves. They can be described as grayish-green, thick, and spongy in the center. Their growth is limited to below the flower. The stem is topped at around five to ten feet up by the flower, which is also called the tip or spike. Unlike most flowers, this doesn’t have pretty petals but instead a thick, cigar-like, almost furry appearance that can be broken into two parts; male and female. Separated by about two inches, the two sections are relatively the same length. The lower portion of the flower is the female and is colored green then turns to a dark brown depending on the maturity level. The male is a light brown and disappears after its job of pollinating is done.

The cattail fills a niche that is very important for organisms. The leaves, stalk, and flowers provide food for insects and organisms like moths, caterpillars, and muskrats. The formation of dense areas of cattails creates shelter for wetland animals, including fish that can hide from predators among the underwater leaves and stems. Birds use cattails as a place to make shelter and can also use the leaves for their nests.

Cattail can be found throughout North America. Although they can be aggressive, their presence indicates that animals several types of organisms can be found in the area. This creates more diversity.