Edible Plant Series - Cattails - Ember Archaeology (2024)

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Edible Plant Series - Cattails - Ember Archaeology? ›

Cattails

In aboriginal times in America, this humble plant found many uses for utility and for play among the people of various Indian tribes. It supplied materials for food, for leather dressing, for cushions, for sanitary appliance, and for children's games.

The young stems can be eaten raw or boiled. The lower parts of the leaves can be used in salads. The young flowers can be boiled, covered in butter, and eaten like corn on the cob. In mid-summer, the yellow pollen from the male flowers can be added to pancakes, or mixed with flour to make delicious bread.

Broadleaf and southern cattails are considered to be native to North America. Narrowleaf cattail is considered non-native, and was likely introduced to the east coast of the United States and Canada from Europe during the mid1800s. Though it is non-native, narrowleaf cattail has not shown invasive characteristics.

They are both impressive plants growing well over two metres high, but sometimes people get the plants mixed up. The Cattails are often called Bulrushes by mistake. You can identify Cattails by the large, velvety, hotdog- shaped, seed pod. While the Bulrushes have a little seed cluster or floret at the top.

Cattails grow vigorously and the resulting biomass can eventually block out the growth of more desirable and less invasive plant species. Cattail growth can obstruct critical elements of a pond. These include drain structures, emergency spillways, auto-fills, and irrigation intakes.

Cattails grow aggressively and can crowd out other native plants and grasses, thereby reducing plant diversity. system that makes them difficult to remove using non-chemical methods. ponds for permitted recreational activities (i.e. canoeing) if they become too aggressive.

Cattails usually grow in standing water and are a survivalist's dream. They are non-toxic and almost every part of a cattail can be eaten. Burning away the fluff will leave the seeds. These can be eaten raw, boiled or ground into meal.

If your dog nibbles on a cattail, don't panic. These plants are not toxic, but watch for signs of gastrointestinal distress such as vomiting or diarrhea. Offer water and keep an eye on your dog's behavior.

Since they are sometimes referred to as cossack asparagus, I had expected them to taste like asparagus. But it turns out that cattail shoots have a lovely cucumber-like flavor.

Is it illegal to pick cattails in Florida? ›

Aquatic plants for sale or distribution are considered nursery stock and have the same requirements for registration and inspection. Collecting aquatic plants for research or education also requires a permit.

At the same time, cattails can also be a nuisance species, especially within smaller ponds. As cattails have a large rhizome system that is capable of rapidly expanding within shallower water depths, they can easily encroach upon a small waterbody.

On state property, you cannot take any plants or plant parts except for edible fruits [exit DNR], edible nuts, wild mushrooms, wild asparagus and watercress, which may be removed by hand without a permit for the purpose of personal consumption by the collector.

Cattails are wetland plants. They grow anywhere the soil is covered with water during their growing season. The common cattail, a type that has broad leaves, is one of two different kinds of this plant that grows in the Chesapeake Bay region. What do they look like? These tall plants can grow up to ten feet tall.

Easy to grow in rich, moist soil and full sun or part shade, cattails grow in wet soil and even standing water up to 12 inches deep.

The two major groups can be separated by a close examination of the florets, with the cat's-tails typically having comb-like hairs on their lemmas, which are absent in the foxtails.

The leaves are tough and pithy, and were used by Aboriginal People to make mats, bags, baskets and clothing. Stems and leaves are suitable for making paper and cloth. Formerly, the cottony fluff attached to fruits was used to stuff bedding. Cattails also provide food and shelter for wildlife.

GET TO KNOW – Cattails

Rooted under the frigid water, these intriguing plants offer food and shelter to a multitude of wetland creatures and are often called “the plant with a thousand uses.” FUN FACT – According to Victorian tradition, in the “language of flowers,” cattails are a symbol of peace and prosperity.

Native peoples have used their fuzzy seeds and crushed rhizomes as a cure for burns and sores. Early colonists sometimes treated toothaches by rubbing juice from cattail stems on their teeth and gums. During World War II, the fluffy seeds the cattails produced were sometimes used to pad the seats in tanks and planes.

Juniper, shredded cottonwood bast, cattail down, soft moss, and scented herbs were used as absorbent, disposable diapers. The Arapaho packed thoroughly dried, and finely powdered buffalo or horse manure between baby's legs to serve as a diaper and prevent chafing.