Content
- The cattail as a garden plant: a profile
- Limit the growth of the cattail
- The use of cattail
- The characteristics of the cattail at a glance:
- Tips
The cattail spreads out very quickly
The cattail as a garden plant: a profile
The cattail (genus Typha) is popularly referred to as a lamp cleaner or Schlotfeger due to its eye-catching appearance with the characteristic, two-piece inflorescences. These are dried in many regions and used as autumn decoration and in dry arrangements.
Next article The cattail: is he under nature protection?Limit the growth of the cattail
In the muddy ground of a riparian zone or other swampy site, the rhizomes of the cattail expand widely within a few years. For this reason, the cattails planted like reeds on pond edges should, if possible, be housed in special plant baskets that can prevent the displacement of other plant species and their uncontrolled spread. In order to limit further propagation via self-sowing, they must cut off the flask-like inflorescences in good time before seed maturation. Note, however, that the aboveground cutback does not hinder the growth of the cattail. Rushing over the growth of rhizomes in the muddy ground requires a bit of force and the right tools to push back wild stocks.
The use of cattail
Earlier, the inflorescences of the cattail were probably used in accordance with the popular name as a lamp cleaner. Nowadays, the cattail is valued above all for its water-clarifying effect, as the highly nutrient-consuming lamp cleaner literally removes the "nutrient medium" from possible algae growth. As a decorative component of arrangements of the cattail is well known, but less well known is the ability to consume the starchy rhizomes similar to potatoes.
The characteristics of the cattail at a glance:
Tips
In a garden biotope or swimming pond, cattails can promote the siltation. In addition, the starchy rhizomes are a treat for voles, which is why foliar ponds are sometimes susceptible to hungry rodent feeders.