Herbs of the Field - Cattails
Cattails are sometimes called the “Supermarket” of the swamp!! It is virtually a gold mine of survival needs! There are several genuses of cattails within North America. Cattails are part of the grass family, which also includes rice, corn, wheat, oats, barley and rye.
Cattails are easily identified by the brown seed head, that looks like a “hotdog” shape. There are look-alike that are poisonous but those do not have the brown seed head. Members of the Iris family have leaves that look similar to cattails but do not have the brown seed head and only some are not poisonous. Even though Cattails are edible, if you cannot positively identify do not eat! All parts of the plant are edible. The plant greens can be eaten in salads, or cooked in stews, or as a pot herb. Cattails contain vitamins A, B and C, potassium, and phosphorus therefore contain necessary nutrients. The male pollen head produce large quantities that can be used as a flour in pancakes, extenders, or thickeners.
In addition to consuming Cattails, the plant can be used to make poultices for cuts, wounds, burns, stings, and bruises. Burning the leaves create ash that can be used as an antiseptic or styptic for wounds. There is an excretion sap that can be used as an antiseptic for wounds and toothaches. The stalks when dried also have many uses one of which is for tinder for fires.
Identification: Leaves are ¼ to ½ inches wide, dark green and sword-like shape, 3 to 6 feet longs. Pale grayish-green in color. Female flowers have a spike 4 to 8 inches long and ½ to 1 inch wide that turn brown and fuzzy in the fall. Distinct look like a hotdog. Male flowers spike are 1 inch above the female flowers and drop off once the pollen is released. The plant grow up to 10 feet tall.
Harvesting: The young flowers can be roasted, the yellow pollen appears mid-summer add to pancakes, young shoots are like asparagus, the roots dried and pounded, The whole plant can be used.
Usage: For ailments such as bleeding such as spitting blood, nose bleeding, urinary bleeding, blood in the stool, uterine bleeding, miscarriage prevention, promotion of lactation, retained placenta. Free pounded root used for infections, blisters and stings. Use starchy mashed root as a toothpaste. Drink root flour mixed in hot water for diarrhea and dysentrery.
Cautions: Low risk of toxicity, however due to being in water, tendency for bioaccumulation effects. Can cause stomach upset or loss of appetite. Has pro-coagulant affects. Should not be used in pregnancy.