Graceful cattail is native to marshes and wetlands in Europe and Asia. It is a marginal aquatic perennial that spreads by creeping rhizomes to form dense colonies in shallow water. Features narrow, upright, sword-like, linear, mostly basal, green leaves up to 5 feet tall and a stiff, unbranched central flower stalk that is typically equal to or slightly less than the height of the leaves. Yellowish male (staminate) flowers are located at the top of the inflorescence and greenish female (pistillate) flowers are located underneath. In this species, the staminate and pistillate flowers are separated by a gap of up to 2 inches of stalk. Flowers bloom in summer. After bloom, the male flowers rapidly disperse, leaving a naked stalk tip. The pollinated female flowers turn brown as the seeds mature, forming the familiar cylindrical, sausage-like, cattail fruiting spike up to 4 inches long. Foliage turns yellow-brown in autumn. Fruiting spikes usually persist to early winter before disintegrating. Large stands of cattails serve as important nesting areas and cover for wildlife.

8 SEEDS