Broadleaf Cattail - Typha latifolia
Cattails have long, sword-like leaves that grow directly out of the rhizomes. The flowers grow from a central stalk with the male and female parts separate at the top of the stalk. The male part at the top pollinates the female part below it, after which the female part produces thousands of fluffy seeds (which look like a hot dog). the pollen-bearing male part falls away once the pollen is spent. The old seed heads (female part) often overwinter, persisting until new flower heads grow.
Habitat: Pond's edge
"Typha latifolia" is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus "Typha". It is found as a native plant species in North and South America, Europe, Eurasia, and Africa. In Canada, broadleaf cattail occurs in all provinces and the Northwest Territories, and in the United States, it is native to all states except Hawaii.
