Printed at Aquascapes Unlimited, www.aquascapesunlimited.com
Typha angustifolia - Narrow Leaf Cattails

Native Wetland Plants

Typha angustifolia

Narrow Leaf Cattails

More About Narrow Leaf Cattails

Typha angustifolia, Narrow Leaf Cattails, are one of the most important native wetland plants, providing wildlife habitat, improving water quality and providing food for wildlife. In fact, Euell Gibbons called Cattails the "Supermarket of the Swamps". Native Americans used Cattail roots to make flour. The immature "tails", when still in their sheath and green, can be boiled and eaten, nibbling the soft outer part away from the stem. The new shoots, when <1' tall can be harvested in the spring. Yellow pollen can be harvested and used for flour after sifting. Consult a wild foods book if you'd like to learn more about preparation of Cattail products. Wildlife thrives in Cattail marshes. Red-Winged Blackbirds, muskrats, turtles, frogs insects and many animals are common in these habitats. Water quality is enhanced as Typha angustifolia absorb many nutrients from water and the colonies of plants can be an important way to trap silt entering waterways. There are several wild and cultivated forms of Cattails. Narrow Leaf Cattails can tolerate deeper water than Broad Leaf.

Bloom Color

Brown

Typha angustifolia Characteristics & Attributes

Exposure
Sun
Partial Shade
Mature Height
> 4'
Spread Characteristics
Prolific Seeder
Rhizomatous - Rapid
Season of Interest (Flowering)
Summer
Fall
Season of Interest (Foliage)
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Pond Zonation
High Marsh - Saturated Soil
Low Marsh 0 - 6"
Open Water 12" - 6'
Shallow Water 6" - 12"
Foliage Color
Blue
Green
Wildlife Benefits
Amphibians
Cover
Fish
Food
Nesting
Songbirds
Waterfowl
Critter Resistance
Deer Resistant
Goose Resistant
Wetland Indicator Status
OBL
Plant Type
Bog/Marsh
Flowering Perennial
Marginal
Attributes
Bio Remediation
Cut Flower
Dried Flower
Drought Tolerant
Erosion Control
Fibrous Roots
Focal Point
Great Foliage
Mass Planting
Native
Naturalizing
Ornamental Flower
Salt Tolerant
Winter Persistant
USDA Hardiness Zone
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Printed at www.aquascapesunlimited.com
© Copyright 2024 Aquascapes Unlimited. All Rights Reserved.
P.O. Box 364 · Pipersville, PA 18947 USA · Tel.: (215)766-8151