"Back to the Land" - The Common Cattail

Common Cattail (Typha latifolia) - "Supermarket of the Swamp"

Native peoples really know how to get the most out of the land; nothing was wasted. Take for instance the Common Cattail - an emergent plant of marsh and swamp habitats. The average person would think, 'that looks nice', we can identify it and that would be it. Indigenous peoples however saw a plant they could use for many many things...19 ways to be exact.

Native peoples used the parts of the cattail for 19 different uses! Such as:

1. Cattails contain ten times the starch of an equal weight of potatoes.

2. Early spring new shoots can be picked, peeled, cooked, or eaten raw.

3. Harvest young flower heads to boil and eat like corn on the cob; or pickle them.

4. Collect early summer pollen in a bag, add to other flours (used as protein/vitamins).

5. Winter rootstocks can be picked, mashed, rinsed, dried, and ground into flour.

6. Use fresh, pounded root directly as a poultice on infections, blisters, & stings. Tie it in place over night. Replace next day.

7. Sticky substance at the base of the green leaf is an antiseptic, coagulant, & even a bit numbing.

8. Boil leaves for an external skin wash.

9. Starchy, mashed root can be used as a toothpaste.

10. Use pollen as a hair conditioner.

11. Drink root flour in a cup of hot water or eat the young flower heads to bind diarrhea and dysentery.

12. Use the fuzz from mature female flower heads on scalds, burns, diaper rash & place in a diaper to soak up urine.

13. Down makes excellent tinder.

14. Dry stalks can be used as a hand drill, for arrow shafts with added hardwood nock and fore shaft.

15. Leaves excellent for thatching, basket weaving, cordage (one of the most important aspect of outdoor survival), and doll, toy, and figurine making.

16. Dip the brown head of a dry stalk in animal fat for use as a torch.

17. Pollen is hemostatic & an astringent. Place directly on cuts to control bleeding. Take internally for internal bleeding, menstrual pain, chest pain, & other forms of blood stagnation.

18. Mix pollen with honey; apply it to bruises, sores, or swellings.

19. Pollen is also a mild diuretic and emenagogue.

 

An impressive list to say the least!

In addition, cattail leaves, plus the leaves of other reeds were used to make duck decoys. These decoys were made to lure waterfowl to roosting areas. Once in the vicinity, these species were bow-hunted, netted, or snared. These decoys were essential to bring the birds to within range of a hunter's bow and arrow, spear, or net.

Other facts of note: Archaeologists have found evidence of native duck decoys from 2000 years ago in Colorado!

Chippewa Indians make floating toy decoys for children, that are only a few inches in length, from single cattails leaves.