Gardening information on Cattails
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009Cattails don’t seem like you average run of the mill type of plant to have around in gardens, mainly because they need a lot more water than normal plants. Cattails seem to grow best in bogie conditions like ponds, ditches and even reservoirs.
The common cattail (Typha Latifolia) is a very familiar sight along the shores of any marsh, pond, lake, or even a river. They are common in an among the grass land areas in the south and are normally stiff plants that grow to almost ten feet tall in some areas.
The leaves of the cattail are like giant blades of grass that can get to about one inch wide on some plants. The flowering part of the cattail has two parts, a brown cylinder which is the female part and the yellow spike plant which is the male part.
The plant itself grows in almost of group-type of growth where most grow together and in a cluster.
Believe it or not, but the cattail is edible and the American Indians prepared the cattail in many forms. The leaves of the cattail can be used to make baskets, chair seats and even mats or sitting areas. The seeds of the cattail is used in pillows, sleeping bags and some brands of coats. The stems can be used in making adhesives glue and the pollen of the cattail is used in the making of some varieties of fireworks on the market.
Cattails are planted in some areas along creek beds and river banks to prevent erosion of the soil that the water causes to the land over time.
