Typhaceae

Cattail Family

Bur-reeds

FAMILY: Cattail family (Typhaceae) – Sparganium genus. This genus was formerly placed in the bur-reed family (Sparganiaceae).

SPECIES: #1 narrowleaf bur-reed (Sparganium angustifolium Michx.). #2 broadfruit or great bur-reed (Sparganium eurycarpum Engelm.).

TO UTILIZE AS FOOD: Both bur-reeds (also known as bur-weeds) listed above have thickened rootstocks, rhizomes, and/or stem bases that are edible after preparation.

The following notes are based on an undetermined species of the Sparganium genus gathered in northern Michigan. The parts required for identification were not present at the time. It wasn’t either species listed above, but it was clearly a species of the Sparganium genus. Whether or not the edible species taste similar is uncertain. It’s likely that all species in the Sparganium genus can be used in the same way, but I have no evidence to substantiate this presumption. The “roots” were rather small, but fairly easy to obtain. Fibrous roots and rhizomes extended from thickened portions below the stem bases, all of which were buried in mud along a lake margin. These bur-reed roots were a decent wild food. Raw roots had a firm texture, but they were easily managed with a sharp knife. Boiled roots had a starchy, marshy, bulrush-like flavor and a grainy texture. No harsh accents were present. It was a pleasant flavor with some sweetness, dryness, and astringency. Skins of the roots were chewy. Fibrous portions and rhizomes were especially chewy. Simmering the roots produced a dark-brown broth. Sugars dissolved into the broth, so it was fairly sweet. Tannins, which tend to be bitter, also dissolved into the broth, but not enough to ruin the flavor. Cooking is a wise precaution to kill any waterborne parasites. Most bur-reeds are uncommon in the southwestern United States due to a lack of suitable habitat (wetlands), so they’re of minor importance in that region. Apparently, only the Klamath Indians of Oregon utilized bur-reeds as food, or no documentation exists for usage by other native people.

IDENTIFICATION: The Sparganium genus is represented by about 10 species in the United States, of which only 3 occur in the Southwest.

Description of bur-reeds (the Sparganium genus): FORM aquatic or semi-aquatic plants about 2-11 dm tall emerging from fibrous roots and rhizomes; STEMS cylindrical, solid, upright, or floating; LEAVES simple; alternate; sessile; blades linear; margins entire; surfaces hairless; FLOWERS greenish-yellow, rudimentary, unisexual, monoecious, ovary superior, and arranged in globe-shaped clusters zigzagging along the stems; male flowers positioned above the female flowers; perianth parts 1-6, tiny, and scale-like; stigmas 1-2, persisting as beaks on the achenes; stamens 1-8; FRUITS achenes cone-shaped or football-shaped, beaked, and arranged in bur-like clusters; seeds 1-2; HABITAT shallow ponds, marshes, lakes, and other wetlands; throughout the world; blooming in summer.

REFERENCES: #1 narrowleaf bur-reed (Sparganium angustifolium): tubers and stem bases Kirk (p. 170). #2 broadfruit bur-reed (Sparganium eurycarpum): tubers and stem bases Couplan (p. 492), Kirk (p. 170), and Moerman (p. 250).

Cattails

FAMILY: Cattail family (Typhaceae) – Typha genus.

SPECIES: #1 narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia L.). #2 southern cattail (Typha domingensis Pers.). #3 common or broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia L.).

TO UTILIZE AS FOOD: Cattails have edible rhizomes, stems, flowers, and pollen. All these parts taste mild, and most of them are fibrous. All species listed above are strictly aquatic and roughly equivalent in terms of edibility.

Cattail rhizomes are rich in carbohydrates, but they have a pond-like overtone competing with the potato-like flavor. Gathering them from clean water should be a priority. Colonies arise from networks of rhizomes. Cattail rhizomes typically have spongy outer portions surrounding cable-like inner portions. Skins vary in color, including tan, red, brown, and other shades. Boiling effectively sterilizes the rhizomes. It also softens them enough to be chewable like gum. Carbohydrates can then be obtained simply by chewing the pieces. A ball of gummy fiber usually persists. Extracting carbohydrates can also be accomplished by: pounding the rhizomes, boiling the rhizomes in water, and then filtering the debris. This produces a cloudy, potato-flavored broth of high food value. Further boiling to eliminate excess water thickens the broth. Obtaining pure starch requires a large supply of rhizome cores and stem bases. These parts need to be dried, ground into flour, and then sifted through cloth to remove the fibers. Grinding produces a mixture of fine powder and coarse fibers. Sifting removes the unwanted fibers. Pure cattail starch is very lightweight. One gust of wind can disperse hours of hard work. Shielding the starch from wind is a wise precaution. Rhizome tips are especially starchy. They tend to hide in the muck, often near new shoots. Spongy outer portions of the rhizomes are susceptible to rotting. Discolored sections should be discarded. Cattail rhizomes were a principal food source wherever they grew, so their importance to foragers should not be underestimated.

Cattail stems provide an excellent source of nourishment. Young stems (also called shoots), stem bases, and the centers of older stems are edible. Young stems have vegetable-like interiors with a cellular-like texture. Centers of older stems are similar. Peeling off the multiple layers of outer protective sheaths is necessary to reach the interior sections. The thickened bases emerging directly from the rhizomes are the best part of cattail stems. These bases are starchy, fibrous, and somewhat like “potatoes reinforced with dental floss.” They contain more energy than the other sections of the stems. All stem sections can be processed like the rhizomes. Only about the lowest 20-30 cm of stems have food value. Higher sections and leaves are essentially pure fiber.

Cattail flowers offer another quality resource. Male and female flowers occur in long, narrow, sausage-like clusters on the same plants. Pollen producing males are always on top, while seed bearing females are positioned below. Both genders can be eaten like corn on the cob when they’re young. Older flowers become tough and brown. The corn-like part is actually thousands of developing flowers encircling a hard stem. Male flowers are normally softer than female flowers, and suitable for consumption until they begin to wither, which happens rather quickly. Timing is important. Young flowers of both genders are green and inconspicuous against the marshy landscape. Male flowers soon become yellow, and then brown. They’re best in the green stage, or when some yellow first appears. Once fully yellow, they’re best utilized as a source of pollen. Withered flowers should be avoided, but they are chewable, grain-like, and loaded with trapped pollen. Rotting occurs as the flowers wither, so pollen gathered from withered flowers could be a health hazard. Female flowers can be used similarly, but they’re generally tougher and more fibrous than male flowers. Only the youngest female flowers are soft. Older flowers may be chewable, but not necessarily digestible. One bite could take all day to chew. Even the youngest female flowers can be excessively fibrous, but they’re usually manageable. Male flowers make a better “corn on the cob substitute,” with a texture more closely approximating food than shredded herb-flavored gum. Nourishment can always be chewed out of the flowers in survival situations. Male flowers disintegrate soon after pollination. Female flowers continue to be valuable as they develop into seeds. Nourishment can be extracted by boiling the female flowers at any stage of development, during the transition to seeds, or when they become mature seeds. Cattail seeds are small, fluffy, and difficult to utilize as food. They’re basically just fluff. Raw seeds, including the fluff, can be chewed like gum, but they’re a potential choking hazard. The carpet-like texture is a long departure from what most people would consider food, but nourishment can be chewed out of the seeds in this fashion. Other options for utilizing the seeds are available. Entire seed heads can be boiled and filtered. The resulting broth tastes mild and makes a good base for soups. Cattail flowers are easy to harvest and make a fine wild food.

Cattail pollen is yellow, nutritious, delicious, and very easy to obtain. It’s an excellent resource that’s about the consistency of stone ground corn flour and produced in great abundance. Gently tapping a flower head releases a cloud of pollen. Since pollen is designed to fly in the wind, gathering should be done on calm days. Cattail pollen contains moisture. It must be dried or consumed immediately. Otherwise, it will spoil. Except for drying, no other processing is required to make flour out of cattail pollen. It’s essentially flour in its natural state. Fibrous materials that complicate the processing of other parts are absent from the pollen. Cattail pollen is pure food, rich in fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. It tastes like eggs when eaten fresh, dried, or boiled. It also smells like eggs and remains yellow after cooking. Toasted pollen tastes more grain-like and turns brown. Cattail pollen makes an extraordinary flour that can be added to pancakes, porridges, or baked goods. Even though raw pollen is dusty, it tends to stick to surfaces. Cooking is recommended to reduce any allergenic potential.

IDENTIFICATION: Only 3 species of the Typha genus are found in the United States, all of which can be found in the Southwest. Differences between species are seen in the presence or absence of pistillate bractlets and glandular dots on the leaf bases. No other plants look like cattails.

Description of cattails (the Typha genus): FORM upright, aquatic, perennial plants about 1-3 meters tall from extensive networks of rhizomes; stems round in cross section; LEAVES simple; alternate; sheathing; blades linear and flat; margins entire; surface hairless; FLOWERS rudimentary, unisexual, monoecious, ovary superior, and crowded in long, terminal, spike-like, sausage-like clusters; male flowers positioned above female flowers, the two groups continuous or separated by an area of bare stem; bracts numerous and hair-like; sepals 0; petals 0; pistils 1, simple, and stipitate; styles 1; stigmas 1; stamens 2-7; FRUITS achenes minute, fluffy, and one-seeded; HABITAT wetlands; throughout the world, including the southwestern United States; blooming May to July.

REFERENCES: Couplan (pp. 492-493) and other authors indicate that the following species have edible rhizomes, stems bases, flowers, pollen, and seeds: #1 narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia), #2 southern cattail (Typha domingensis), and #3 common or broadleaf cattail (Typha latifolia).