cattail

Cattail refers to several species of wetland plants in the genus Typha, commonly known as bulrushes or reedmace. They are perennial emergent aquatic plants characterized by tall, sturdy, hollow stems, long linear leaves, and distinctive cylindrical brown flower spikes (spadices) that develop pollen-dusted golden catkins in early summer.

Cattails typically inhabit shallow to moderately deep freshwater and marshy environments, including ponds, lakesides, wetlands, and drainage ditches. They form dense stands that can spread by rhizomes and wind-dispersed seeds. The plants are well adapted to nutrient-rich, still or slow-moving water and can tolerate seasonal flooding and variable water levels. Recognizable features include the two-part inflorescence: a male pollen-bearing spike above the female seed spike, which later ripens into a fluffy seed head.

There are about a dozen to several dozen Typha species worldwide, with common in temperate regions including Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail), Typha angustifolia (narrowleaf cattail), Typha domingensis (southern cattail), and the hybrid Typha × glauca. The precise number of species varies by classification system. Cattails are important for wildlife, providing shelter and food for insects and waterfowl; seeds are eaten by birds, and the plant can stabilize soils and improve water quality in some wetlands.

Humans have used cattails as a food source—young shoots, rhizomes, and pollen have been consumed in various cultures after proper preparation—and the plant has traditional uses in fiber and craft materials. In some regions, dense cattail stands are considered invasive, capable of displacing other vegetation and altering hydrology, so management may include mechanical removal, water-level manipulation, or approved herbicides.