Typha domingensis
What is Southern Cattail?
Physical Characteristics
- Slender
Leaves:
- 6-10 leaves
- Usually flat
- Yellowish-green
- Firm
- Leather texture
- 0.28-0.59 inches wide
- Usually shorter than the flower
Flowers:
- Spike 0.75-1.25 feet long
- Female & male sections of flower separated by about 2.36 inches
- Whitish-brown in color
Stem:
- Up to about 9 feet tall
- White base
Where Does it Grow?
Southern cattail can be found in brackish or fresh marshes and pools.
Pros and Cons of Southern Cattail
The rhizomes and lower leaf portions of cattails are consumed by nutria, muskrats, and geese. Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. ducks). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.