Cattail - The Supermarket of the Swamp
Late Summer in New England provides the sensory bliss that is fields of goldenrod, joe pye weed and asters, of black walnuts, acorns and hickory nuts scattering the ground, and the shift of temperature offering a blended mix of summer’s heat meeting moments of cool crisp fall air. Each year at this time, I find another plant which captivates and instills a deep sense of creativity and exploration; the multi functional, Cattail.
This perennial, grows in thick stands and are found in the mucky squish of muddy areas; The pollen producing male flowers, the female flowers, both young and mature horizontal rhizomes, and young shoots are all edible and/or medicinal which lends one to understand the traditional nickname ‘The supermarket of the swamp.” Another use for cattails is for weaving, and each year I harvest the flat, erect leaves in early September to dry and set aside for winter weaving projects. Food, medicine, crafting supplies, and ecological uses captivate my interest in this common wetland plant.
I know of four species of cattails that adorn the wet landscapes of my area, and knowing which you are harvesting feels important to pay attention to, albeit challenging at time. The reason I recommend learning the nuance of these species is because it is in being a responsible harvester that we can interact with the land in a beneficial way, and some species are non native and another is native. The four species of cattail I have come to know of growing here in western massachusetts include, Typha latifolia is our native broadleaf cattail, and the non-native narrowleaf Typha agustifolia, southern Typha domingensis, and hybrid Typha glauca, and when harvesting I opt for these non-native species. The hard part is that identifying these species using typical methods of morphology, based on leaf and flower structure can be misleading and at times challenging. Occasionally proper identification requires DNA analysis to be certain of which species you are interacting with. Since most folks (self included) don’t have access to DNA analysis we can do our best using our eyes to opt which species is present and most ecologically friendly for harvesting our cattails.
Some other ways I have come to be in wider and more supportive relationship with the natural world while harvesting cattail, includes harvesting where no phragmites is present, and harvesting from the center of a patch rather than the outside of one; and that means you’ll need waterproof boots to access this plant because they prefer wetlands and the edges of ponds. I also suggest harvesting from several different areas within the center, so that regrowth can occur when harvesting for weaving or rhizomes. For harvesting leaves for basketry and weaving, I recommend harvesting a few leaves from each plant (when native species) and waiting until the flowers have fully formed and seeds have scattered; this is often in late August through September.
Cattails don’t just provide the human world with sufficient uses, they also provide important wildlife habitat, including shelter for birds, food and cover for fish and insects and protect the banks of ponds from erosion (another reason to get your mud boots on and harvest from the center.) Ecologically non native cattails can have impactful effects on wetlands, but despite these negative impacts, this plant provides beneficial ecological effects through the reduction of pollution via bioremediation and are used in the production of biofuel. These ecological and fuel potential uses, have only added to the allure and depth of how cattail shows up in the world of interconnectedness.
Cattail hosts a treasure trove of medicinal and food uses, most notably is the sweet and acrid pollen, which is used in TCM and referred to as Pu huang. Pu huang is classified as an herb that regulates the blood and stops bleeding, and the pollen is harvested in early summer; hosting a plethora of uses as an antispasmodic, aperient, astringent, stimulating styptic medicinal. The pollen can also be used as a highly nutritious flour added to baking recipes, or eaten raw. To mix with flour, the proportion I was taught is 1 part pollen to 3 parts flour; as the pollen does not rise, yet is considered a delicious add on for pancakes. The flowering tops of the cattail are a valuable source of protein, unsaturated fats, beta-carotene and minerals. They are harvested in mid-late spring and should be encased in a long green leaf, where the flowers hide until maturity, and again ensuring the native species of cattail continue onward, it is best to harvest these sparingly and from several areas within the center of the patch.
The new shoots in early spring are nicknamed Cossack’s Asparagus, and are pulled up in early spring. The outer stem is peeled, leaving the inner heart which can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, stir-fried, or pickled. These young shoots contain beta-carotene, B1,B2, B3, C, and minerals K and P.
The young lateral rhizomes gathered in late summer to early fall can be peeled and cooked as a vegetable or grated raw on salads. And in the late fall, gathered roots can be dried and ground into a flour that is useful in baking much like the pollen, and can be used as a thickener in soups.
The seeds are also edible and offer a pleasant nutty flavor when roasted, but I often avoid using them from patches where I am unsure if they are the native species. I harvest the leaves to weave baskets, mats, and traditionally here in North America were also used to thatch roofs. All these different ways to connect with cattail has left me and many others to bask in the wonder and depth that is the simple cattail. To appreciate the versatility this plant provides doesn’t require much investigation just simply find a patch and return throughout the year, with observing how it grows, what critters are around, and researching and experimenting both with the traditional uses of this plant as well as your own take on these wonderful plant bodies.
If you are called to explore and get to know this plant, you are in for a treat because you can spend a good while captivated by their splendor. For myself, I will spend my slower winter days weaving the leaves into something that reminds me of the green plant beings, of both the past and those that are soon to return.
