common cattail
(Typha latifolia L.)

Overview

Appearance

Typha latifolia is a perennial aquatic herb that can reach up to 6.6 to 9.8 ft. (2-3 m) tall.

Foliage

Leaves are linear, erect, light green to greyish in color, thick, sword-shaped, and flat with a sheath near the base. 12 to 16 leaves can arise from each shoot

Flowers

Flowers are arranged on a dark brown, dense, cylindrical spike at the end of a stem with the male flowers at the top and female flowers below. Male flowers are brown, 0.19 to 0.5 in. (0.48-1.3 cm) long with 0.04 to 0.12 in. (1-3 mm) long anthers. Female flowers are 0.08 to 0.12 in. (2-3 mm) long, and pale green when in flower. Flowering occurs from May through June.

Fruit

Fruits come from female flowers and are brownish to blackish or even reddish mottled with white patches. They are very tiny and appear as a tufted nutlet.

Ecological Threat

Typha latifolia can be found in areas where the soil remains wet or even flooded for the entire growing season. It is native to all U.S, states except Hawaii.

Resources

• Element Stewardship Abstract - The Nature Conservancy

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Hoffman, R. & K. Kearns, Eds. 1997. Wisconsin manual of control recommendations for ecologically invasive plants. Wisconsin Dept. Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources. Madison, Wisconsin. 102pp.

References