What are hybrid cattails?
Hybrid cattail is a hybrid of common (broad-leaved) and narrow-leaved cattails and its structure is intermediate between that of its parental species. The best way to identify the hybrids is to first learn the characteristics of T. angustifolia and T. latifolia, then look for plants that are intermediate. Photos.
Are all cattails invasive?
Broadleaf and southern cattails are considered to be native to North America. Narrowleaf cattail is considered non-native, and was likely introduced to the east coast of the United States and Canada from Europe during the mid1800s. Though it is non-native, narrowleaf cattail has not shown invasive characteristics.
Are mini cattails invasive?
“For the most part, the graceful as well as the dwarf, miniature and variegated species are attractive and eye-catching, but not so invasive,” he said. “Any (aquatic) plants that you put in your pond are the same as terrestrial plants: they need care,” Bonwell cautioned.
Are Cat Tails good?
They provide important wildlife habitat, shelter for birds, food and cover for fish and for the insects they eat. Cattails help protect the banks of a pond from erosion. They intercept and reduce the force of small waves and wind on the shore.
Can you cut cattails?
You should cut or mow your cattails with a gas-powered weed trimmer, or another safe, sharp cutting tool. Do not use electrical tools near ponds. Cut the cattails as close to, or under, the water line, removing as much of the leaf blade as possible.
How fast do cattails spread?
Fast Grower: It can reproduce from both seeds and rhizomes using the wind and water to disperse its seeds…and it can spread fast, 18 inches in one growing season.
How do you identify Typha?
Identification. Narrow-leaved Cattail (Typha angustifolia): Dark green, sword-like leaves 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide. Female flowers form a spike 4 to 8 inches long and 1/2 to 1 inch wide that turns brown and fuzzy in the fall and looks like a hotdog on a stick.
Should cattails be cut back?
Cutting them in May stimulates growth, so wait until late summer if you are only going to cut once. If you cut the cattails below the water line two or three times in a season, very few cattails will grow back the following year.
Should I plant cattails?
In garden landscapes, cattails are well suited for growing around ponds, in water gardens, or areas prone to flooding; they can easily grow in water up to 10 inches deep. They can also be a good choice for erosion control on wet slopes, and they make a great privacy screen too.
Do cattails filter water?
Featuring a dense root system, cattails can be used to prevent shore erosion on lakes and small ponds. These plants also do a good job of filtering toxins out of water, and they have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots, which means they absorb this important nutrient and then redistribute it to surrounding soil.
Is there hybridization between Typha latifolia and Typha angustifolia?
An examination of hybridization between the cattail species Typha latifolia and Typha angustifolia using random amplified polymorphic DNA and chloroplast DNA markers. Molecular Ecology, 81:981-1990.
What is Typha x glauca Godr?
Typha is a cosmopolitan genus of emergent wetland macrophytes, containing 8-13 species, and requiring taxonomic revision (Smith, 1987). Typha spp. often hybridize, perpetuating taxonomic confusion. One hybrid in particular is ecologically important because of its potential invasiveness, and has been frequently treated as Typha x glauca Godr.
Is Typha x glauca susceptible to heavy metals?
T. x glauca is most prevalent in areas with disturbed vegetation, bare soil, and altered hydroperiods. Typha spp. show a constitutive tolerance for soil and water contaminated by heavy metals ( McNaughton et al., 1974 ).
What is the economic importance of cattail (Typha spp)?
Economics of cattail (Typha spp.) control to reduce blackbirds damage to sunflower. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 65 (2):141-149. Linde AF; Janish T; Smith D, 1976. Cattail [Typha spp.] – the significance of its growth, phenology and carbohydrate storage to its control and management.