Lovely Cattails
Cattail facts:
aka: bulrush
Wetland plant
1-3 m in height
alternate leaf arrangement
14 different kinds of cattails in all
major staple for the American Indians
Cattails have many uses...
- hemp
- to line moccasins
- can be made into waterproof mats
- as stuffing for dolls or quilts
- providing tinder for starting fires
- dressing wounds
- insulation
- wax can be extracted from seeds
- caulking
- making furniture
- adhesive
- edible, nutritious root vegetable
- pollen is used as a flour
- young green stalks can be boiled and eaten
Cattails are one of the most common and important wild foods!
