Plants Pacific Northwest

Typha Latifolia: Cattail

Note: These plants can be dangerous if improperly used. The author, and/or ernestartist.org assume no liability for experimentation of use.

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Ernestartist.org assumes no liability for experimental use of medicinal plants, food plants or herbal remedies.

Typha Latifolia: Cattail, Bulrush, tule

Cattails are one of the most common edible plants found in the wetlands of the Pacific Northwest and North America. It is also one of the most easily recognized with its tall stock, long narrow leaves, and slender spike like flower cluster.

Typha Latifolia is a water plant often standing as the predominant cover in shallow waters at the edges of lakes, sloughs, and slow moving waters.

The young shoots can be pulled off at the rootstock and peeled in early spring for use as a delicious steamed or stir-fried vegetable. The young flower heads are excellent when prepared and consumed like corn-on-the-cob, or the pollen can be scraped off, dried, and used as an all purpose flour.

Dig in the winter, fall, and early spring seasons. The root can be peeled after washing thoroughly, cut into two inch strips, then boiled. After boiling for ten minutes, drain, then pass the cooked sections through a sieve to extract the starchy mush from the fiberous portion of the rootstock. This may be eaten as is, or added to a stew or soup as a thickener, or dried and ground into flour.

Most people know the flower spikes as smooth, rust-colored cobs, but the best time to consume these treats are before the flower spikes turn rusty, while still green. Plants from stagnant or salty water will taste like marsh mud or dirty aquarium, the cattails should be avoided if the water is polluted.

The Paiute tribe of Nevada and California ate the young flower stalks fresh or boiled as a staple part of thier diet. The flowers were consumed singly, or in soups, stews, breads and puddings. The sap was relished as "candy."

The"down" of the flower past its prime, was used to stuff pillows and matresses, or used dry as "tinder" to start fires.

Although not commonly used by herbalists, folkloric remedies called for boiling and crushing the roots for use as a poultice for burns and various skin irritations. The flower heads are slightly astringent and were used by the American Indians alleviate diarrhea and cramps.

NOTE: Although the flowering plants are easily identified, the young shoots resemble several other unrelated plant species, including members of the toxic families of Lily and Orchid. If possible, the eco-forager should watch a specific patch of plants through a life cycle, therefore being positive as to the origin of the shoots.