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Cattail
photo courtesy of Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
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Scientific Name |
Typha spp. L. (T. latifolia, T. glauca, T. angustifolia, T.
domingensis) |
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Common Name |
Cattail |
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Family |
Typhaceae (Cattail) |
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Class |
Monocot |
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Description |
Primarily emergent from subterranean rhizome, leaves long and
strap-like, flowers inconspicuous in floral head with sexes separate, wind
pollinated |
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US Distribution |
Throughout US and southern Canada |
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Worldwide Distribution |
Temperate North America, Europe, and Asia |
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Ecology |
Emergent in up to 3 ft. depth, to moist soil |
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Economic Importance |
May become a nuisance, also as a roost for blackbird swarms |
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Ecological Importance |
Can be good cover for wildlife, food for muskrats, etc.; may
out-compete other natives in some situations (prairie pothole region) |
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Notes |
Some of these species hybridize; some evidence that T. latifolia
is not native |
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