CATTAILS

 

About Cattails

Cattails are a one stop shop when it comes to useful plants. Not only are they abundant in our area, they also supply food and medicine. In addition they can be used for baskets, making shelters, lighting fires and more. Cattails are an essential survival plant with so many uses.

 

Primary use
Food source

Edible parts
Roots, stem, young tops

Medicinal
Roots as poultice for burns and sores. Gel from plant stalks for burns.

Identification

Tall whip like plant with a central stalk that caps with a sausage shaped body that matures from green to brown to fluff. Grows in standing water or very moist conditions. They are actually large grasses.

 

Where to look

Along roadsides in ditches, swampy areas, hollows where water accumulates.

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