Cattail

Typhaceae

LIFE FORM: Perennial

NATIVITY: North America

VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

6 to 8 feet tall; pale green, long, slender leaves exceed the stalk in length.

FLOWERS:

Distinctive, brown "cat tail" inflorescence appears in fall.

FRUIT/DISPERSAL AGENTS:

"Cat tails" come apart in the fall to release fluffy, wind-dispersed seeds.

ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCE:

Freshwater wetlands, ponds and streams.

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTION:

Nutrient abrorption in wetlands; salt tolerance along roadways; food and/or habitat for wildlife; stream and riverbank stabilization.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

Dried fruit heads used in floral arrangements; rootstocks may be eaten raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable; used medicinally by Native Americans.