British Columbia Outdoor Wilderness Guide
- Cattail
(Typha latifolia)
Cattail
is a unique perennial with its easily identifiable
cylindrical spikes. Cattail can grow up to 2 metres
or more.
- LEAVES:
- -
Cattail leaves are flat, long, thin (1-2 cm.)
or grasslike
- -
alternate on the stem
- -
grayish-green
- -
spongy
- FLOWERS:
- -
Cattails have many tiny flowers growing at the
top of the stem
- -
the upper part, with the male flowers, eventually
looses the flowers, leaving only a bare stem.
- -
the female flowers are located on the lower,
brown portion (15-20 cm.)
- FRUIT:
- -
dry oval seeds
- -
about 1 mm. long
- -
will float
- -
have long hairs on the base - fluffy appearance
- HABITAT:
- -
Cattail is found at low to mid elevations
- -
marshy, wet areas
- -
areas with slow moving or still water
- -
abundant in appropriate areas
- FASCINATING
FACTS:
- -
many birds, waterfowl and small animals use
the Cattail not only for food but for a habitat.
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