Typha is a genus of several species of flowering plants in the monogeneric family, Typaceae. Typha is native to many parts of the northern hemisphere but it can be found in many temperate and subtropical areas also. Typha will grow almost anywhere -common habitats include wet meadows, river edges, wet woodlands, marshes, ponds, lakes, floating bayou , estuaries, ditches, irrigation canals, and streams. Typha is quite tolerant of water and can grow in both fresh and slightly muddied waters.
In North America Typha can be found growing in the arctic, temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions from Northern Canada, Alaska and across to the eastern seaboard to the Atlantic provinces and down south to Florida, Mexico and Texas.
Typha is also known as cattail, punks, bulrush, reedmace or corndog grass. Typha is often confused with other plants species also known as scirpus.
Typha or cattails are very simple plants with straight stems that eventually bear flowers. The rhizomes stretch on the flat surface just beneath the surface of mucky ground to start new erect growth. This method of spreading allows cattails to spread rapidly along open water. Often this plant has been considered to behave like a weed.
Typha contain both male and female reproducible structures (monoecious) and is pollinated by wind. The flowers occur in aggregates and have complex projections on top. The seeds of the flower are very tiny and light weight. They are attached to a thin hair and are easily dispersed by wind. Because of this easy transmission, Typha are often the initial wetland plants to colonize any new area with suitable growing features.
One of the reasons why landscapers grow Typha near river banks is to help fight soil erosion. Typha play an important role in the ecosystem and provide shade and shelter to a wide variety of birds, insects, amphibians and small mammals.
Cattail also is of use to humans. Parts of the plant are edible and are a rich source of carbohydrate, fiber and protein. The starchy rhizomes are best harvested in late autumn and early spring. In late spring, the base of leaves can be eaten raw and are said to quite tasty. In the summer, the flowers can be eaten like and mimic "corn on the cob". Recently cattail has also been used as a source of oil.
Native people in America have also used crushed parts of the roots and leaves to treat wide variety of medical ailments like open sores, ulcers, burns, pustules and wounds. Cattail has also been used to make everyday tools and garments by the native Indians.
Today, there has been an interest in using cattails as alternative fuel. Cattails do not require much maintenance and grows rather quickly. The plant can grow in either full sun or partial shade, requires acidic soil and no fertilization. Growth of Typha is rather rapid. One should not be growing Typha is small areas as it is a plant that loves to grow fast and far apart. It can easily fill up an entire pond in no time.
