Foothills, montane, subalpine. Wetlands. Summer.
Near Yellow Jacket Canyon, July 4, 2007 and August 22, 2014.

Cattails are almost as familiar to all of us as Robins and squirrels. Cattails grow in dense colonies in ponds, roadside wet areas, and irrigation run-off. They are unmistakable, growing long slim leaves to 5 feet tall and putting forth a giant flower stalk to 7 feet tall with a 6 inch tall seed pod. The very dense, brown pod bears thousands of seeds that are dispersed on tiny fluff when the pod ripens and bursts, from late fall to early spring -- or when the pod is squeezed and exploded by fun-loving humans who are immediately engulfed in a cloud of seeds that stick to everything.

The brown/yellow pollen structures are ready to fertilize the tightly packed green ovules to give rise to the seeds.  

Brown seeds are imbedded in a fluff which carries the seeds on the slightest breeze. Stand back! Bring a seed head into your house only after you have lacquered it.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for  Typha latifolia